Don't let them know
by siri-ias
Summary: Anna's sophomore year in college isn't turning out as she hoped it would. There's a lot of tension between Elsa, her roommate, and herself. After a set of events, they both grow closer and become best friends, and even more.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Forgetting her was hard, and it was going to hurt. Anna was sure of that much. She had spent the last four days doing nothing but reliving memories of a time when she had been happier. Of course for her, that would be an understatement. There was no way that anything could top the times she had spent with Samantha.

_Things like this happen all the time_, she thought. Why would it be so hard to get over a breakup? Spending two years with someone who you love and trust with your life and then have them confess that they no longer love you... That had to be one of the worst feelings in the world.

_No. I will not do this to myself. I've managed to overcome worse situations. This will be hard, yes, but time would heal._

After deciding to set her mind on something else entirely, Anna decided to start packing instead. Move in day, or "Sunday Fun-Day," as the university liked to call it, was just a day away. She had spent too much time procrastinating, or rather thinking about the "what if's" had Samantha not broken up with her. _Let's not go there again_, she thought. _Try to focus on going back to school._

Never did Anna think she would actually be looking up to returning to school. Things would be different this year. She had finally decided her major, she even started to look into internships and other experience opportunities, and she desperately needed to fill up her resume. Most importantly, she needed to find a way to make money. It was her sophomore year of college and she didn't want to continue living in the dorms by the time junior year came around. Oh, then there was her new roommate who she had not met, yet only had the opportunity to message her through the school's messaging system. Unfortunately she never got around it, occupying her mind with nostalgic thoughts. She couldn't even remember the girl's name_. _

_El.. Elena? All I know is that it begins with an E. Oh well; I'll figure it out eventually. Besides, it's not like she has tried to contact me either._

* * *

Anna woke to her alarm. She dismissed it, turned around and covered herself again, nuzzling her chin on one of her pillows. This would be her last day to sleep in, she thought. So she might as well make it worth it.

As soon as she was about to doze off again, she was brought back to reality by the ringing off her phone. She received a text message, and as hard as she tried to ignore it, she figure she might as well have a look.

_Good morning Ms. Aldridge, this is to confirm your interview with our company tomorrow afternoon. We'd like to see you at 1:30PM. Please let us know if there are any inconveniences._

If Anna had any willingness to sleep, it was all gone by now. This was one of the best news she could have received, considering.

The rest of the day went by like a flash. She finished packing and sorting things she may or may not need. As night time approached, she decided to contact her soon to be new roommate. For a while, Anna thought of ways to start the conversation. A simple hey would be too weird, she thought about it before quickly typing.

_Hello, this is Anna :) not sure if you're aware but we'll be roommates this year._

Waiting for a response would only bore her and make her anxious, so she occupied herself in other things. She looked through the brochure for the interview tomorrow. North Aim, Inc., had a reputation of hiring quickly without being too selective on their candidates, or at least that's what her former professors had told her.

_I have to avoid embarrassment. It's an obsolete no, Anna! Let's see-_ she read out loud through the thin paper. "All candidates will be interviewed at once, as per request by the director. All candidates must come fully prepared and on time. Resumes should be submitted prior to arrival. We encourage the interviewee to become well informed not only with the company but also with our competitors and the type of business that conduct. Since this will be a group interview, a sole candidate who does well under pressure and is well informed will be chosen."

_Well this made it worse_, Anna thought. She only managed to become more nervous. She gave a quick glance to her phone screen only to see no reply from her new roommate.

It was still early, but since she had to wake up early and drive to campus the next day, she decided to retire then.

* * *

Anna slept as much as she could. The events of the following day, or the expectation of them, had kept her from sleeping profoundly.

Before she had time to think about what she would do as soon as she got up, she felt a deep sadness. Part of her went missing, and unfortunately for her, that part would not return even if she put up a fight.

Samantha had occupied two years of her life. Everything reminded her of the times they had spent together, whether good or bad. Even when they weren't around each other, they always stayed in touch.

Anna then decided that she was dwelling too much into the past. She grabbed her phone and deleted every picture of Samantha and herself, unfriended her on Facebook and unfollowed her on twitter, instagram and tumblr. The only thing she couldn't bring herself to do was remove her as a contact.

_That would mean she's out of my life permanently. And I'm not ready to completely let her go._

She went through the rest of her notifications. She blinked and stared at her phone again as she noticed her new roommate had finally responded.

_Hi, Anna. I'm Elsa, see you tomorrow.__  
__Sent 3:27AM_

Anna tried not to think too much about her lack of enthusiasm, after all, she had responded at three in the morning so what should she expect? _I shouldn't even bother replying_, she thought. _I'll meet her today, anyway._

After having decided that she had everything she needed, she put everything into the back of her car.

_That's it, just one more box and I'm all set._

As she made her way back into her house, she spotted her neighbor getting ready to leave as well. He said bye to his parents and leaned down to pet his dog.

"C'mon Sven, you know you'll miss me-" the dog approached him and jumped around him as if preventing him to leave. "Be a good boy Sven, I'll come see you in no time."

Anna almost forgot she was walking up towards the door path until she tripped on her own foot. Unable to retain her balance, she quickly extended her arms as an instinct of defense. The whole act captured her neighbor's attention.

"You okay there, Anna?" he asked as he approached her with a worried look on his face.

"Oh you know me, clumsy as can be" she tried to finish the sentence with some humor, but even though she tried to laugh, she had scraped her forearm and that prevented her.

"Of course, Anna banana-" said the boy with a smirk on his face. "Here let me help you go inside." he grabbed her elbows from behind, carefully as to not touch her now bleeding arm.

"Thanks Kristoff, who knows what I would do without you coming to my rescue all the time, ha."

_Probably stop you from getting your heart broken_, said Kristoff mentally. "Let's get you cleaned up so we can get on the road before noon."

"Sounds like a plan, and don't hurry me! You know I take my time." Anna said as she quickly elbowed him. "Ow! I forgot about that."

"Just have a seat and get ready, I'll have you ready in no time."

"Fine. Thanks again, Kristoff." she looked at him and retuned a smile just as he stepped into the restroom to look for bandages.

* * *

Anna entered Maple Hall, a little nervous that she'd finally get to meet the person she'd be spending the rest of her sophomore year with. The girls in charge of welcoming every student asked for her name and received her dorm key as soon as they checked their list.

_Well, that was fast…. Oh wait, my last name starts with an A. Lucky me_. She smiled as she walked through the hallway towards the elevator.

"Someone looks too happy for the first day." Anna quickly turned around to her right and then to her left, only to find a tall brunette with her arms crossed smiling ridiculously.

"Says the person with the bigger smile." Responded Anna.

"Touché. I'm assuming you're headed to the elevator. Which floor? I'll walk you."

"Bossy much?"

"Oh this is nothing, my friend."

"Oh god." Groaned Anna, jokingly before winking at the brunette.

The brunette gasped exaggeratedly. "You will see the worst of it mwahahahaha."

"So do you make a habit of walking people to their dorms?"

"Only the ones I like," and with that the brunette winked back.

"I'm not new here, you know? This is actually my second year."

"I know. I also make it a habit of looking at the occupants' records, cause you know, I can."

"Oh, cocky too, huh?" Anna couldn't help but smile widely.

"What can I say? I'm in charge of your floor." The brunette pressed the button which indicated Anna's floor.

"What the…? I never even told you my floor-"

The brunette continued before Anna could finish. "Anna Aldridge, correct? You're on the second floor, which also happens to be the floor that I'll be in charge off."

"I guess it's only fair that I know your name since you seem to know everything about me."

"I thought you'd never ask. I'm Ygritte Arandelle." She smiled with so much confidence that Anna was left speechless for a minute.

Before Anna could come up with something to day, Ygritte continued. "Says here you're in room 220, should be the very last one down the hall. And-" She looked at the paper with an almost evil grin. "Wow, I don't know whether you're lucky or unfortunate to have Elsa as a roommate."

That captured Anna's immediate attention. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, I'll let you figure that out for yourself. Don't want to ruin anything for you. I have to go meet other occupants but I trust I'll see you at tonight's welcome night." Anna couldn't tell whether she was asking or stating so she just nodded and finally headed to her dorm.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Anna didn't know what she expected. It's not like she hadn't done this before, she had been a freshman the previous year and knew what it felt like to meet her roommate for the first time. Of course, last year she had actually had the chance to meet her roommate as soon as she walked into the dorm. This year, as she entered the room, she saw no one in. It was evident that her roommate had already been in there. The farthest bed from the door had been occupied.

_How organized, and clean._ Anna thought. The room was indeed very organized. Everything that needed to be put away had already been put away: books, lamps, curtains, bedding, clothes. The girl's bed was done so neatly, Anna wondered if she had gotten there earlier than she should have only to set up and avoid meeting her. The frames on the wall were also very simple, making the latter side of the room look very sophisticated. Compared to Anna's, who looked bare and empty, her roommate's was very elegant.

_Very minimalist, she's probably a neat-freak. Oh god, what have I gotten myself into?_

Anna finally decided she had spent too much time admiring the other girl's tastes and skills so she put everything in her bed, she figured she put everything in place later on as time progressed. She suddenly found herself exhausted. To her surprise, she had barely done anything that involved exercise but maybe it was just mental exhaustion.

As soon as she laid in bed and closed her eyes, her alarm went off. Going through her packets and finally locating it, she pulled it out and saw a notification.

_North Aim, Inc. meeting at 1:30PM _

"Shit!" She exclaimed and quickly stood up. _It's 12:40PM, which means I only have a few minutes to get ready before getting to the office. Crap, I almost forgot about all the traffic._ She opened her suit case as fast as she could, struggling to get the zipper undone. After a few hard pulls she finally managed to get it open. While scrambling her clothes all over the bed, she spotted a white button down and a dark, forest green skirt that would do the trick, or so she figured.

She got dressed in no time. Not bothering to even comb her hair, she ran through it with her fingers and picked it into a bun, a few strands going every which way.

She considered herself lucky for finding her lipstick in such a short amount of time. Quickly, she applied it and pursed her lips. The bright red made her freckles stand out but she didn't have time to apply anymore makeup.

Glancing at her phone's clock she hurried out the door. As she walked down the hallway towards the elevator, she noticed a line and figured she'd better take the stairs. After all, she was only in the second floor. She took long strides, almost running, her black heels making a sound that attracted everyone nearby. They looked and quickly moved out of her way, as if understanding she was in a hurry.

The drive had not been as bad as Anna thought it would be. Fortunately, she had made it fifteen minutes earlier than expected and as she entered the front lobby, she sighed in relief. She approached the front desk, submitted her resume and was told to have a seat along with the other applicants. She turned around and spotted three people. They looked like they had been waiting there a while, all looking at their phones probably finding a way to kill time.

Anna found an empty seat and placed her bag on the nearby table. She looked around while she waited. She didn't want to look through her phone just like the other candidates had done. _I want to seem ready. I need this job. C'mon Anna, show them what you've got. You know you'll get through this. You're better than them. You were born for this moment and this moment alone, you're ready for-_

Before she could finish her train of thought, Anna saw a woman approach the waiting area. She was tall, slim and blonde. _Blonde? No, her hair is too light to be considered blonde. Weird, I've never seen this hair color before, and it doesn't seem like she dyed it, it looks so natural, a mixture of blonde and white. It makes her look so unique. It's as if she spent all her life living in the Antarctic._ _She must be in charge of conducting the interviews,_ she thought.

Little did she know, she was very wrong. The woman entered the waiting room and walked towards Anna.

_Umm, what? Why is she walking towards me? And why is she now literally standing in front of me? Should I say something?_

Anna looked up at the blonde and noticed that the blonde's blue eyes were already staring down at her.

"Umm, hi?" Said Anna nervously.

"You're sitting in my seat."

"Oh… Oh! I'm sorry, I wasn't aware someone was sitting here." Under normal circumstances, Anna wouldn't have moved, but she felt the blonde's glare and that made her very uncomfortable.

She gathered her things as quickly as she could, only to drop her phone and having to kneel before the blonde to pick it up. It seemed to her like the blonde was running out of patience. Anna ran to another seat, cheeks red and a drop of sweat running down her back. Her embarrassment probably wouldn't have been too bad if there hadn't been other people sitting around and witnessing what had just happened.

_Great, and I still have to go through and interview. But wait, if she's not the interviewer- that must mean she's also and interviewee. And that means she's also my competition. Wonderful! _Anna rolled her eyes as she finished her thoughts.

Those fifteen minutes were the longer fifteen minutes she had encountered in her life. The tension in the room quickly left as a very attractive young man came into the room.

"Ladies, if you'll please follow me. Mr. Oaken is ready to see you."

The blonde girl stood up before the others. She walked with so much confidence, as if everyone else was beneath her. _A natural leader._

The young guy tried to make small talk as they all walked to the meeting room.

"Don't worry girls, Mr. Oaken might seem a bit tough but he's nicer than anyone else in this office. I can guarantee you that." He smiled widely. His green eyes shined so bright, and they were so warm. Anna realized if she had to trust this man with her life, she would.

"My name is Hans, by the way. If any of you does get the job, you'll be working right along with me." He stopped in front of a big glass door, Anna tried to see who was in there but her view was limited. Hans turned around to face them all and opened the door for them.

"In you go ladies, good luck to you all." And with that they stepped inside. The room was very silent and Anna thought it was because it was so big and empty. There were gadgets everywhere, it was just as if she was about to conduct a presentation. _Oh shit, I hope I don't. I'm not ready for that._

"You like what you see, ya?" A big man said from the back of the room. The girls turned around and sat down around the table.

"I'm Mr. Oaken. I'm in charge of human resources and I'll be interviewing you ladies today. I had a look at all of your resumes and I must admit, they all look very impressive. Especially yours, Ms. Arendelle."

_Arendelle? Arendelle as in Ygrette Arendelle? Were they related? _Anna now understood why the girl seemed so confident. They were both born with it.

* * *

The interview didn't go too bad. Oaken was the nicest person Anna could have met, and the fact that he held an important position made it even more unbelievable. She was glad it was over with, although she was certain she wouldn't get the job. That Arendelle girl had been a favorite ever since they had walked into the meeting room. She had all the qualifications needed. She responded to every question with no hesitation and so much knowledge, how did she even know so much about the company? The way she finished each response with a smile and no room for improvement, made the rest of the girls feel out of place, as if they shouldn't even be there to begin with.

After the hour she spent at North Aim (which certainly felt much longer,) she called Kristoff so they could meet up for late lunch. Anna couldn't wait to tell him about her day, as uneventful as it had been, but she still had to let it out.

"I think you're over thinking things Anna, if her resume had impressed them so much they wouldn't have called all of you in the first place." Kristoff tried to reassure her, although he knew that it probably wouldn't work.

"See that's the thing, today was supposed to be another test—and I'm pretty sure she's the only one who made it." Anna tried not to look too disappointed, but it was inevitable.

"Well, how do you know? Did they say anything?"

"They're supposed to call us tomorrow and let us know…"

"Can you at least try to be more optimistic?"

"How am I supposed to do that exactly?" Asked Anna with a smirk as if challenging Kristoff.

"Oh, I know just the trick!" He winked as pulled out a small gift back from under the table.

"Kristoff… is that what I think it is?"

"Well, I don't know Anna Banana, what do you think it is?"

"I'm sure we both know it's chocolate." She tried not to lick her lips as soon as she finished saying the word chocolate. Kristoff just shrugged and handed her the bag. Anna was right, it was filled with a variety of chocolates, he either knew her too well is she was too predictable.

"So… tell me more about your day? I'm sure you didn't spend the whole day doing an interview."

Anna swallowed the piece of chocolate she had in her mouth, licking her fingers gently as she continued to talk. "It wasn't that exciting. Probably less exciting than yours. I still haven't met my roommate. Can you believe that?!"

"That is hard to believe…" He grabbed a napkin and reached for her chin, trying to wipe off the chocolate around her mouth.

"And then I met this girl-" Before Anna could go on, Kristoff interrupted her.

"Oh, a girl huh? It was about time you moved on."

"Kristoff…" Kristoff didn't realize that what he'd said brought sudden gloominess into the conversation. Evidently, she still wasn't ready to talk about that, and he doubted if she had moved on.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up so quickly, but please, tell me about this girl."

"Her names Ygrette, weird name, huh? Anyway, she's in charge of my floor and you won't believe this. She walked me to my dorm!"

"Isn't that what they're supposed to do though?"

"Well, I don't know but it was kind of weird. It got even weirder when she realized who I was rooming with."

"So wait, who are you rooming with?

"Kristoff, pay attention! I just told you I haven't met her yet."

"Oh! Right!"

"Anyway, I later found out that the Arendelle girl I met at North Aim might be Ygrette's sister or something."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well they're obviously both very confident in themselves, and they both share the same last name…"

"That could just be a coincidence-"

"Or maybe not, but most likely I'm right and you know it."

"Alright, fine. Have you finished your food? Cause I'm about ready to get going."

"Totally, let's go"

* * *

The drive home had been a short one. Anna was glad the day was almost over. Unfortunately, she still had to go and get her things set up. _Ugh, I should have done it earlier when I was less tired. I wonder what my roommate's going to think when she sees my mess… I'm sure she'll understand when I explain the reason and the hurry I was in._

The sky was getting dusky as she entered Maple Hall. Many parents were barely getting ready to leave and Anna was glad she was no longer a freshman because she wouldn't have to go through _that_ again.

She spotted Ygrette talking to some students. _God she is sooo easy to talk to. Very unlike her sister, I guess that's what makes them different. _Anna wanted to approach her, but as tired as she was she decided it would be best to just head towards her room and finish what needed to be done. _Like finally meeting my roommate. Hopefully she doesn't try to evade me again._

All the halls were mostly empty. She figured everyone must be at the welcome party, she should probably be there as well but it wasn't a priority, besides she'd attended last year's. Perhaps if she had some time, she'd go.

Thinking about her day had gotten her distracted. She had arrived at her door and didn't even notice. She looked for her key everywhere, until she dug into her bag and finally found it. She took her heels off before opening and entering the room, heels in the same hand as her bag rested on. As she opened the door she saw a figure folding some clothes, facing the wall with her back towards her. Anna forgot how to speak when the first thing she saw was the unique hair color of the girl who she'd met earlier that day. It had to be her, long, slim figure. It all made sense all of the sudden. _She was an Arendelle, Ygrette's sister. Of course! She was Elsa Arendelle. No wonder Ygrette had made a mystery out of it._

She had stood long enough that the other girl turned around and gave her a questioning look. "Oh, it's you again."

Anna nervously chuckled. "Who would have thought, right?"

The other girl looked disinterested, she turned back, ignoring Anna, as if no one had come in. "Certainly not me."

Anna didn't know what to do. She shut the door closed with the back of her foot, stepping slowly towards her bed and throwing her bag next to the night stand.

"I'm Anna, by the way-"

"I know. You told me and we've met." Anna didn't know why she was being so distant but she continued.

"Well I guess that makes you Elsa? I'm sorry, I can't keep thinking of how weird a coincidence this is, you know? But it's nice to finally meet you! I actually met your sister, of course I didn't know she was your sister until at that meeting today when I found out you were an Arendelle. That's when it hit me. Ha! And about the meeting, well you did great, I'm sure Oaken will give you the job. Have you had experience before? I'm sure you have you seem like a natural and-" Her nervousness had given her away.

"Do you usually talk this much?"

Anna's cheeks turned red. "I- Well… Yes, No. I mean yes, but don't worry it doesn't happen all the time."

"I certainly hope that you making a mess also doesn't happen all the time." Elsa eyed the room with an almost disgusted expression.

"Ah… yes. I was in a hurry for the interview. Do I really need to explain myself?" Anna was beginning to get frustrated. She rarely let anyone get on her nerves, but Elsa was something different.

"Please don't, but do pick it up." Anna almost screamed with exasperation. This was a battle, and the first battle for that matter. She couldn't let her win.

"You know what? I think I'll do it tomorrow. I'll be downstairs at the welcoming party your sister invited me to." Anna could have sworn she saw anger in her eyes. They stared at her for a good minute. Her light blue eyes turned into an almost neon blue, they almost gave off a glow. Anna didn't back off however, she continued to stare back_. I can't let her win. Can't let her show her I'm weak. _Suddenly, Elsa simply turned back around and ignored her, forgetting her existence. Anna was astonished. What could possibly be wrong with this girl?

* * *

**AN: ***wonders if anybody reads this*

So I haven't decided if I want to make Hans a bad character yet. I am taking suggestions as to what kind of interactions you guys expect from the characters. Do keep in mind that this will be mostly angst, with other elements involved.

Also let me know if you want me to incorporate other characters.

Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Anna woke up to the sound of an alarm. She looked at her phone only to see it was barely 6:30. She sat up and eyed the room as if waiting for someone to explain something or demand that she get up. Out of her peripheral vision, she spotted a sudden movement on the right side of the room.

_Oh right, Elsa. _

_How can she manage to wake up so late after last night?_

Memories from last night quickly came back to her. The welcome party had ended early and they all decided to continue at one of the frat houses. Elsa had even joined, but who would have thought that she liked parties? She showed up about ten minutes after Anna decided to go downstairs.

Anna met up with Kristoff as the boy challenged one of the other guys over video games. "C'mon man, don't chicken out. One more and I'll let you leave." He screamed as the other guy walked away. He saw Anna walk towards him. "Well look who it is! I almost thought I wouldn't see you here."

"Neither did I, but my roommate... Ugh-"

"Hey, hey, hey. This isn't the place for bad vibes. We can talk about your roommate somewhere else and some other time but right now we're going to have fun." He handed her a remote and she couldn't deny his intentions.

"Whatever, Kristoff. How was your day? Met any cool people?"

"Can't say I haven't, still need to meet a lot more. I heard this "party" is getting shut down pretty soon though so we're all heading somewhere else, want to come?"

"That's actually not a bad idea, but there better be drinks involved!" She squinted her eyes at him and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh wow, Anna. Look at you being a bad influence on me and all."

"Oh shut up Kristoff, it is college after all, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. You can count on the drinks though. And.. Looks like I win, yeah baby!" Anna almost threw the remote at his face, but with better judgment she tossed it lightly into the couch. She tried to ignore him and walked away. As persistent as he was, he followed.

"Don't be a sore loser, Anna Banana."

She turned to face him and gave him a smile, clearly intending that everything was okay. By the time he caught up to her, he gave her a hug as they both walked to the entrance. Anna was short compared to him. She had to completely look up, almost towards the ceiling to look him eye to eye. As she stared at his face, she noticed his expression changed. His eyes went blank and he gasped. "My god... She is hot..." Anna quickly followed his gaze, he was staring towards the entrance. Elsa was walking in, she could tell all eyes were on her, but she looked at no one.

"Oh, Elsa? Yeah, isn't she something?"

"You... You know her?" He pointed at Anna and then at Elsa with an incredulous look on his face.

"She's my roommate. I could, you know? Hook you up, but let's save ourselves the trouble. We both know that's not happening." She said it with a hint of humor.

"Oh c'mon Anna, please?"

"She doesn't even like me!"

"Can you at least try?"

"Will you ever stop asking?"

"You know I won't." He said it with a smirk on his face.

"Fine," she responded with a pout. "I'll go talk to her."

Elsa was seating in the couch talking to her sister. Anna, walking from behind, waved to Ygrette who returned the wave with a wide smile on her face.

"Hi, Anna! I'm glad you decided to come downstairs. Thought I wouldn't see you here."

Anna held her hands in front of herself nervously, aware of Elsa's presence. She hadn't even turned around to look at her! _Hmm, so she's ignoring me again._

"Well, I figured I might as well get to know some people. I heard it should be over pretty soon though."

"Ah! Yes, but no worries, we'll continue elsewhere."

"Are all of these people going?"

"Thankfully it's only me, that blondie over there," she said as she pointed to Kristoff, "those two guys, you and Elsa."

"Oh yeah Kristoff mentioned it."

"Kristoff?" Asked Ygrette with confusion.

Anna couldn't help but laugh. "That blondie over here," she pointed at him again, "that's Kristoff."

"What a cutie, you have to introduce us."

"Well... He was actually hoping to talk to Elsa..." Anna voice got quieter all of the sudden. Elsa turned around and looked at her. Her glare was so intense that Anna had to look away. "What... what do you think, Elsa?"

"Hmm, you don't say." She shifter her eyes towards him, stood up and continued. "I don't think I'd would ever want to talk to someone who can't muster enough courage to talk to me himself."

"Oh, no it's not that. Look Elsa, he just figured since I know you, well technically I don't know you but I do know you better than he does and well you're my roommate so I could maybe introduce you both? But how inconsiderate of me, I didn't even stop to think if you had a boyfriend, I mean look at you and here I am assuming things-"

"Anna, you okay there?" She stopped talking as soon as she heard Kristoff's voice behind her.

"Oh.. hey, Kristoff. Just about finished here, we should probably get going so we don't miss the other party." Anna had gone through enough embarrassment for that day, she felt awkward just being in Elsa's presence.

"That's actually a good idea, except I don't know where this party is located, Anna. I just got invited by your friend over here." He said as he shifted his eyes between the two sisters.

"Her name's Ygrette, I told you about her remember?"

"Oh you told him about me, huh? That's good to hear. Nice to meet you, Kristoff." They shook hands but Anna couldn't help but notice how he kept staring at Elsa. She could tell it was making her uncomfortable. _Wow, this is the first time I'm probably going to see this. Elsa, uncomfortable? That has to be a first._

Anna was already used to Elsa walking away, it was getting too predictable. She didn't even bother to say goodbye. What was most surprising, however, was after Elsa turned her back against them. She stopped, almost wanting to turn around and say something witty, Anna thought. Instead she only turned her head to comment on Anna's previous comment.

"Oh, and Anna? I do have a boyfriend."

_Why is she telling _me _this? It's not like I asked, it was __Kristoff__... Well, I did ask but I asked for __Kristoff __and she knew that so __why is she only acknowledging me?_

It was almost midnight when they made it to the frat house. Anna began to regret her decision of wanting to join the group, perhaps she should have just stayed in. After all, all she wanted to do was avoid Elsa but here she was.

As soon as they entered the house, the chaos began to take over them. People were everywhere, they were either playing games, getting drunk or making out. The loud music made their voices almost inaudible.

"Now this is what you call a party." Said Kristoff.

"What?" Asked Anna, unable to hear.

He got closer and screamed, "I said, this is what you call a party."

"Well then, let's get to the drinks. Isn't that what we're here for?" She reciprocated. He only smiled, grabbed her hand and led her to the bar stool. She waited there until he returned with drinks.

"Kristoff, I'm sorry about before... About Elsa, I should have explained how awkward things were between us. I mean, can you believe she's my roommate?"

"Well first of all, considered yourself lucky to have her as a roommate," he winked as he finished the sentence. "Second of all, I understand. I've known you long enough, along with other girls to understand that there will always be drama-"

"Kristoff!" She rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm joking, I'm joking. But seriously, don't worry about it, I can handle myself. Now if you'll excuse me I'll have to go make more friends, preferably girls, of course."

She couldn't contend her laugh "You do that."

"You should do the same, but try not the get anyone in trouble!" He raised an eyebrow, warning her. His serious expression almost worried Anna.

She stayed there for a while, not sure if she wanted to join in the shenanigans the rest were participating in. Before she started on her third drink, Ygrette approached her.

"Well, well, well. What are you doing here all by your lonesome?"

"Trying not act to crazy around you guys, I'd probably end up burning the place down."

"I don't believe that for a second."

"Well you should."

"Oh yeah? Prove it. Go up to that guy and," Anna's face lit up at the challenge, "ask him to get you a drink-"

"That's it? Sounds easy enough."

"I'm not done yet. Go have a game of beer pong and after that, ask him if you can go up to his room-"

"What?!"

"Don't worry, just ask. You don't actually have to go into his room, I just want you to ask."

"I'm starting to think you're crazier than me."

"I guess we'll see." Ygrette smiled and waved her off. Anna gulped down the rest of her drink, as if somehow it would give her more courage and adrenaline. She stood up, realizing that she was already beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. She somehow managed to get to the other end of the room, tripping as he reached the guy who, luckily, caught her before she hit the floor. "Woah, someone's had too much to drink."

"I could use another drink, if you don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Anna said, way more enthusiastically than she should have.

"Well if you say so, by all means."

_This random guy isn't so bad, I probably shouldn't even getting his hopes up, I mean he did try to stop me from drinking. But a challenge is a challenge._

"Here's your drink. I tried not to get a strong one, seeing as you're almost drunk."

"Oh, this? This is nothing. I was hoping we'd do some beer pong. What do you say?"

"Seeing the state you're in, I'd crush you, are you sure you want to do that?"

"Don't underestimate me!" She raised her finger and laughed.

"Well alright then, let's do this."

Anna drank her last cup of beer, she had lost by a large margin and was about to fall if she took another step.

"Wow, you actually did it. Who would have thought you had it in you? But remember, there's one more thing you need to do." Ygrette said from behind. Noting her words, Anna stumbled across the table and held into her opponent. Her arms fell into his shoulders and her head against his chest. "Are you sure you're still okay?" He said calmly, although with a victory smile over his face.

"Never better. Hey, I have an idea."

"What's that? Going home?"

"Even better. Let's go up to your room." The guy didn't hesitate for a second, his smile got wider and he grabbed Anna by the waist to walk her up the stairs.

_Ugh, we've been walking this stairs forever now. Why can't I just run and get in there. Wait, I'm getting in there?_

Anna couldn't stop whatever decision she had already made. There was only one thing that she was sure of, and that was her inability to make conscious decisions.

"Hold it right there, mister. She's coming with me." Anna could hear someone's voice but was unable to distinguish it. It did sound familiar but she couldn't put a face to it. The guy didn't even have time to protest before the owner of the voice she had just heard pulled them apart and walked her down the stairs. "God, who knew you'd also be so irresponsible." Anna no longer had energy left in her to say anything else, she couldn't even think of something to say in the first place. She had lost track of everything around her, last thing she knew she was already riding the elevator towards her floor. "Are we there yet?" She asked innocently.

"Yeah, almost."

"Thanks Elsa." She hugged the girl spontaneously. Her stiff figure only moving as Anna threw herself at her. After a few seconds she pushed her away. "Yeah, no problem. Thank me tomorrow when you realize what you were about to do."

The both stepped into the dorm, making more noise than necessary, but of course that was inevitable if drunk Anna was involved. Elsa realized she was too drunk to do anything, so she put her to bed and threw a blanket over her.

_I am going to regret doing this._

* * *

Anna could feel the pain of yesterday's events. That didn't bother her though; she just wanted to understand why Elsa did something that was completely unnecessary. She saw as Elsa walked towards her wardrobe, fully awake and ready to take on whatever was next.

"Hey, Elsa," the blonde turned around.

Wow, she's actually looking at me while I talk to her.

"I'm trying to understand what happened last night."

"You got stupidly drunk, that's what." _Ouch, she was as cold as ever._

"Well, you didn't have to bring me back you know. I knew what I was doing."

The blonde's expression quickly changed. Anna couldn't tell whether it was anger or worry, or maybe both. "Oh really, Anna? You knew what you were doing? You had more drinks than anyone else in that party. Do you even know who that guy was? Why were you even doing that in the first place?" Anna was confused, either Elsa cared more than she dared to admit, or she knew something Anna didn't. She decided it was probably the latter.

"Look Elsa, as much as I appreciate you looking out for me, I get it okay? I annoy you as much as you annoy me. I didn't intend to be such a burden last night. Hell I didn't even ask you to look out for me. I was with your sister anyway, she would-"

"Wait, my sister? Only she would convince you to do such a thing."

"Hey don't blame this on your sister now, she's nothing like you. She actually talks to me and I'm not even her roommate!" Anna wondered if she was taking things to far. _Was it possible for Elsa to get hurt?_

"Alright, Anna. Your point has been made. We'll drop this conversation and please don't ever think this, what I did last night- well, I might be anything you can think of, even a selfish bitch, but I'm not a bad person."

_Wow, what just happened? Did she actually admit to being a bitch?_

"Am I still dreaming or did you actually call yourself a selfish bitch?" Anna blurted out the words before she could think about them. She could almost see Elsa suppress a smile, but doubted herself as she was barely able to keep her eyes open. She didn't want to give Elsa the chance to come up with a reply; it didn't look like she could come up with one anyway.

_Is she seriously smiling right now?_

"Why are you up so early anyway? It's not like we have classes this week."

"I got an email from North Aim, they expect me at 8:00AM. Why am I even explaining myself to you?"

"Of course you did, there was never a doubt."

"Yeah, that's true."

"Why are you so arrogant?" Anna said with annoyance in her voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You know it would be so much easier if you actually tried to get along with me, it would make this living situation a lot easier. It hasn't even been one week and you're already driving me nuts."

"Hey if you can't stand me, then leave." The tension had come back again. It was so easy for them both to get in an argument.

"Maybe if you weren't so cold, Elsa. Why would I move again if you're not even trying?"

"Check your email, will you?" It had taken forever for Anna to realize that Elsa never actually raised her voice, yes she did say words with a certain emphasis when she was mad but she still remained calm and that made it almost impossible to argue with her. She also noticed that every time they were about to get into an argument, Elsa always tried to change the subject or explain herself. Maybe she was actually trying to get along, or maybe she disliked confrontation.

"What's so important about my email?"

"Just check it, Anna." And so she did. Anxiety ran all over her as she looked through her inbox. _An email from North Aim, Inc. But, why? Didn't Elsa get the job? Maybe they just want to inform me that I didn't get it, of course._

"Oh wow, I got it." Anna tried not to let her tears give her away as she scrolled through the email.

"I figured."

"But how?"

"Well, I guess you were the person who was best qualified for the position."

"And what about you, didn't you get the job?"

"I did, just not the same position though."

"Ah, that explains it."

It seemed like things were finally going well for Anna, except of course for her roommate situation. She made up her mind and thought that it was probably too late to change roommates, but maybe Elsa and her could work something out. She was a mystery. A mystery that she was determined to solve, she might as well be another challenge. Anna wasn't going to give up on her, no matter how hard she tried to push her away or how cold and mean she could be. There had to be a way, she had shown signs of it. She had to bring her walls down, it was her life mission.

* * *

**AN:** I feel like I should mention that this isn't a typical "love at first sight" kind of story. I want to show you guys their relationship before things get heated up. Also, not sure if I mentioned this already but as you can tell, I'm not the best of writers but I do hope that the content makes up for it.

As always, enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Anna wouldn't start working until after two weeks. She was, however, required to come in for orientation, which Anna was grateful for since she couldn't imagine what to do with herself with so much free time. She was sure that she would regret not using her free time wisely once classes started.

Work orientation was not too bad, she had the opportunity to observe the day to day environment without the expectation of having to work and the fear of messing up. Luckily enough, she didn't get to see Elsa around work too much, which was a good thing considering she had enough or her back in the dorm room. She remembered her decision about changing her relationship with Elsa, it was too soon to give up on her but she couldn't force herself to do something that seemed almost impossible.

_You do have to live with her the rest of the year, might as well do something about it, right?_

She was so lost in thought she didn't her Hans call out to her.

"Anna, don't get too distracted!" He said, although jokingly. He was obviously amused at her distraction.

She shook her head, wanting to clear her mind. "I'm sorry, it's just so much to take in."

"Oh, you'll get used to it in to no time. Don't worry, a lot of our newcomers think the same way so it's nothing out of the ordinary."

"I'm more worried about my first week of work, I'm sure it'll be nothing compared to orientation day."

"Yes, you're right. It doesn't compare but since I'll be overseeing you, you don't have to worry about a thing. If you have any questions just ask, I'm not _that_ mean." Of course he said it jokingly. _He's trying to be nice, say something and stop starting into his eyes. Also, don't forget to breathe normally. C'mon Anna, think of something to say._She only managed to give him a small smile. He smiled back, placed his hand on her back and looked at her while leaning his face towards her. "Now, before you leave, I might as well show you where you will be working." His light touch led her into another hallway. Anna noticed how big the building actually was, office after office. Everyone seemed to be too into their work to even notice them walk by. They reached the end of the hall and stopped by the penultimate door.

"I know it seems small, but I couldn't have you working by the entrance. You'd get too distracted with everyone around so I figured this would be better than nothing. I'm sorry I couldn't find you a bigger office." Anna, surprised that she would actually get an office on her first day, couldn't find the right words that would express her gratitude.

"Uh-oh. I figured you wouldn't like it." His crestfallen expression made Anna feel guilty inside.

"No! No... It's not that. I just didn't think I get an office so soon, you know? I honestly can't thank you enough." She couldn't have said it with more enthusiasm. Hans' frown quickly changed into a smile. Anna could almost see his eyes sparkle.

"Okay, great. My office is right next door," He pointed to the one at the very end. His seemed to occupy a lot of room. Through the glass door, Anna could see that the three walls had a complete view of the city. _He must hold an important position. Wait a second... What is Elsa doing in there?_ She saw her grab some papers and get up graciously. Can anyone do it any more elegantly? Anna though, still wondering why she was in there. Her thoughts were interrupted when Elsa came towards them.

"Got a minute, Hans?"

"Of course! I'll be in there in just a sec." He turned towards Anna, smiling at her and pointing his head towards his office, and Elsa's direction.

"So, you're good right?" He asked as he gave Anna a thumb's up.

"Oh yeah, definitely. I'll see you in two weeks!"

"See you then, if you have any questions just shoot me an email." Anna only smiled and nodded as he walked away. She stayed in place long enough so see them both walk into his office. Elsa has so much confidence. To anyone else, it might seem like she had been working there for some time now. She clearly knew what she was doing.

_Crap, if she wasn't so cold I'd probably find her personality attractive._

_What am I even thinking? This is Elsa you're talking about!_

Her thoughts made it impossible for her to not to crack a smile. There was hope then, and that little hope convinced her not to give up on Elsa.

* * *

After purchasing her books, Anna headed to a nearby coffee shop. There was something about starting school that made her tired even if she did almost nothing at all. The worse part was classes hadn't even began yet.

It had been three days since she had a moment to herself. She was thankful because that meant she also didn't have time to think. Usually, she wouldn't mind, but after a breakup, thinking was one of the worse things in life. _Thinking and regretting, that is._

The events of the past few days had left no room in her mind for Samantha, but now she had a whole hour for her, and probably days after that. She knew that once she set her mind on Samantha, her name, her face and her voice would be like tattoos, permanently stuck on her thoughts.

She reached for her phone, seeking some desperate way of contacting her. She held her phone for too long that her fingers began to sweat.

_What the hell? I'm going to do it._She opened the messaging application, stared at a distant place and closed her eyes. She was one step away from knowing happiness again.

_Would it be happiness though? Or would her rejection hurt me even more? Maybe I should call her instead and... apologize. I just need to hear her voice._

Her intentions were interrupted by a text message from a number she did not recognize.

_Hey, Anna! It's__Ygrette__. Don't ask how I got your number but how did the other night go?_

Anna: _Ah,__Ygrette__. Always coming to my rescue. About the other night, well I got super drunk and went back to my room, no biggie, don't get excited. I did win the challenge though._

Ygrette: _I was a 100% sure you'd get lucky last night, guess I was wrong! And what did I rescue you from now or ever?_

Anna:_1st - You took me to my dorm and saved me from getting lost in the second floor. 2nd- You saved me from boredom at the party and 3rd- You prevented me from texting my ex._

Ygrette:_I think I like the last one better._

Anna:_I thought you would._

Ygrette:_So... why were you about to text her?_

Anna:_I miss her, I guess._

Ygrette:_Uh-oh, that's no good. We need to get you out more, clear your mind._

Anna: _What do you have in mind, oh hero of mine?_

Ygrette:_Oh please... Just get ready, it'll be a surprise._

Anna: _For some reason that scares me..._

Ygrette:_Just get ready! I'll pick you up._

Anna:_What time are you coming by?_

Ygrette: _2 or 3 hours or so._

Two or three hours was a long time. She thought about getting ready and then spend time doing other things, of course she knew herself too well and being the procrastinator that she was, she left everything till the last minute. As soon as she and Ygrette had stopped texting, she pulled out her laptop and did her usual routine. First thing was checking her email.

_Let's see nothing important, too much spam. God, when did I even sign up for that?_

_Meet local singles? Ha! Yeah right. _

She opened up a new tab and closed her email. _Tumblr, what have you got for me today? _

_Bleh__, looks like no one's online. Facebook better have something better._

_Hmm. Since when do I get so many friend requests. Let's see... Don't know you, don't know you. Zero friends in common. You're cute so why not? What kind of name is that? Sure.__Ygrette__, accept of course. Wow, Hans added me? Accept. _

_People I might know? Oh please, I barely know half the people I'm friend with. _

_Wait a second... Is that Elsa?__Woah__, she looks totally different here._

In her picture, Elsa's head was tilt back. She was wearing a loose, teal tank top and a straw hat. Her hair was loose, waves of platinum hair falling onto her shoulders and collarbones. It looked so soft and bright.

The best thing about that picture was her smile, or rather her laugh captured at the perfect moment. Anna had never seen Elsa smile that way before. It was clear that she was having fun. The Elsa she knew now seemed completely different from the one in the picture. Here she was, happy, having fun, clearly enjoying herself. But the current Elsa seemed to have lost that drive to find happiness in things. She didn't know her that well to even begin to guess what could have happened to her that made her change. It was as if she only knew two emotions: worry and annoyance.

_I swear she could be a model. Look at those freckles... They're barely there but they are there. They're hidden, much like herself. And that tattoo!_

Anna stared at the intricate geometry of a snowflake tattooed on Elsa's pale skin, right under her collarbone, near her chest. She had never noticed it before, too busy arguing with her that she never did realize how beautiful Elsa actually was. Anna was now barely able to appreciate every single perfect feature of her face and flawless strands of hair.

Coming back to reality, Anna quickly sent her a friend request. She didn't get her hopes too high because knowing Elsa, she probably would not accept.

She decided it was time to actually get something productive done before Samantha came by. She began by stacking her books and magazines on her desk. Throwing a couple of them way as she no longer needed them.

Unlike Elsa, Anna had not brought much to decorate around her side, so interior decorating would be out of question, thankfully. She already had another mess she had to get rid off. That would have to wait till later though because as soon as she grabbed one of her suitcases, she received a text.

Ygrette:_Be there in 20__mins__! Don't make me wait ;D_

Anna dropped whatever she was doing, almost tripping over herself as she reached for a pair of high-waisted shorts. Once she put them on, she grabbed her phone and texted back.

Anna: _You should give me a hint as to where we're going. What if I wear something totally inappropriate?_

Ygrette: _Anna relax, you're making this sound like a date. _

Anna: _Oh god. Well if it is, trust me when I say I have high expectations. _

Ygrette: _Oh Anna, Anna. Get your ass down here, hurry!_

Ygrette's car wasn't hard to miss. It was probably the nicest car in the parking lot. Anna wondered how she'd managed to afford a Volkswagen yet live in a dorm room. She was surprised when she saw Ygrette wasn't by herself. The guy she had tried to hook up with the other night at the party was with her and then, out of nowhere, she spotted a big figure with blonde hair. "Kristoff!" She screamed as she hopped into the back of the car.

"Hey loser, haven't heard from you in a while."

"Kristoff, it's been like a day."

"Has it? Hmm, must have lost track of time." He shrugged and looked at Ygrette who had already started to speak.

"So Anna, how's this for expectations?"

"I think you should ask me at the end of the day."

"Fine, I expect a full report on it." She laughed.

"Bossy, just like your sister."

"Nothing like my sister!" She exclaimed. She turned to the passenger's seat. "Oh, you remember him, Anna? Well you two are officially about to meet. Carlos meet Anna, Anna meet Carlos, the guy you stood up."

Anna looked at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even know what I was doing. Does me saying it was just a sort of bet make it better? I mean, I'm not the girl who likes to play with people's feelings, much less someone like you. Not that I know you, but you seemed like a good guy, such a gentleman, when we met. I can't even remember everything very well. The last thing I knew I was already in my bed, so sorry!" Carlos gave her a reassuring smile.

"You can make it up to me today, how about that?" Anna stared at him with concern before he continued to talk. "Oh, no, nothing like that though. Just a date."

"Just a date? I can do that." Anna replied.

"Well it's more of a double date, as you can tell." Said Ygrette while she looked at Kristoff who only offered a goofy smile.

Anna was glad they had decided on bowling instead of a movie. She couldn't sit in the theater for two or three hours pretending to be interesting when in reality there was one thing on her mind.

_Elsa. _

_Why can't I get her off my mind?_

Bowling, or competition, would bring the best out of her and would hopefully clear her mind. They played in teams of two, Kristoff teamed up with Ygrette while Anna teamed up with Carlos.

Anna had to admit he was actually really attractive, like Elsa-level attractive.

_Ugh, why does everything remind me of her?_

Kristoff and Ygrette seemed to be having fun. Carlos and Anna had to call on them a few times, reminding them that it was their turn. The two, obviously too busy making out with each other at the booth, tried to wave them off but eventually gave in. Anna could tell that Carlos wasn't having such a good time and she couldn't help but blame herself.

Eventually, they all decided that it was time to get some dinner and drove a few blocks to get Chinese.

"Am I the only one who thinks we should have just gotten a pizza?"

"You mean two pizzas? C'mon Kristoff, I know how much you eat." Anna mocked him.

"Hey you can't blame me. Hard workouts are worth the pizza, right?"

"Oh, they totally are. Look at you handsome." Ygrette turned and winked at him. The food they ordered hadn't been great and they tried to rush out as fast as they could.

Kristoff and Ygrette were now both sitting up front, with the girl in the driver's seat. Carlos, Anna thought, was stuck with her in the backseat.

_How unfortunate for him, I really do need to make it up to him._

With Ygrette and Kristoff were chatting about who knows what, Anna decided that she'd do the same with Carlos. Before she could come up with anything interesting to say, he interrupted her.

"I didn't know you and Elsa were friends."

Anna sat and stared at him confusedly.

"Umm, I'm not sure friends would be the correct word for it."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we're more like roommates who got stuck with each other. I'm pretty sure she hates me."

"If that were true, she wouldn't have taken you home the other night." That gave Anna even more to think about. Why did she do that? She'd have to question her sometime.

"I take it you know Elsa then?"

"Who doesn't know Elsa?" With that, Ygrette looked at the rearview mirror at the mention of her sister's name. Was that anger or jealousy on her face?

"Anna, I should have mentioned this earlier. I think it's necessary for you to know. Carlos and Elsa were a thing, but it didn't end so well." She said.

Anna didn't know what to say. The back of her head felt a sensation she'd never felt before.

_Carlos dated Elsa? Why does knowing that make me feel weird?_

_The unattainable, perfect Elsa was with him?_

"Anna, you okay?" Kristoff asked as he reached for her hands which were now made into fists.

"Oh. Yeah, yeah. Just think that Chinese food had a really bad effect on me. In fact, I wouldn't mind if you guys dropped me off at my place." She was surprised at how fast she was able to come up with that excuse.

"Say no more. I'll step on it." Said Ygrette with amusement on her face. The boys laughed but Anna could tell that Kristoff knew that wasn't the whole story. _He knows me too well, unfortunately._

Before they got to campus, Carlos asked Anna to exchange numbers. She was hoping he'd never ask. For some reason she could not understand, she felt resentment towards him.

_It's not even his fault, why am I even thinking this way?_

She grabbed his phone and saved her phone number while he did the same. Before she got off the car, he hugged her unexpectedly and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She wondered if Kristoff could tell how uncomfortable she was.

* * *

Anna took the stairs, founding it necessary to take her mind of things, but it was impossible.

_Why did he want my number anyway? The date wasn't even that great. _

_I don't even think I'm ready to move on yet. _

_Samantha all of the sudden popped into her mind. _

_Maybe I should call her, she was always good at listening to my problems and helping me figure them out._

Before she knew it she was at her door. Her brain stopped functioning when she spotted a tall blonde. _Elsa._ Her long hair made into a braid that fell onto her back. She was wearing a tank top which revealed _a lot_ of her back. _And her figure_, Anna thought.

She was obviously in great shape. The coral top hugged her skin effortlessly, folding around her curves and showing a little bit of skin. She had never seen Elsa so casual before. What Anna had before her eyes destroyed the picture of Elsa she had built. Professional, business Elsa was serious. Now, she seemed totally different.

Her arms and legs were firm, she clearly liked to work out. There was something about her shoulder blades which made her pale skin look so attractive, perhaps the movement or her being in general, Anna didn't know.

_Can she get anymore perfect?_

"Are you coming in or just going to stand there forever?"

"Huh? Oh! Sorry... Wasn't thinking." She tried to figure out a discrete way to cover her face so that Elsa wouldn't see her blushing.

"Clearly. I don't plan on standing here and holding the door open for you until you decide to come in, by the way." This was probably the first time Anna had heard Elsa speak to her in a different tone of voice that wasn't annoyance. She seemed more friendly.

_Maybe she had a good day._

She stepped forward hurriedly and entered the room. "So how has your day been?" She asked, out of curiosity.

"Not too bad. Not as productive as I anticipated."

"Well, did you have fun at least. I mean, I only ask cause it seems like you went out."

"You could say that. My boyfriend took me out for dinner but we decided to call it a night pretty early."

_That explains her good mood._

Anna felt a weird sensation in her heart, which apparently showed in her face because Elsa's expression changed to concern. She didn't say anything, only looked at her computer screen silently. She raised an eyebrow and suddenly, Anna could tell she was mad.

_Uh-oh. I don't want to be here for this._ She grabbed a towel and stepped into the shower not knowing that she would be the reason behind Elsa's sudden mood change.

"Anna," She said in a cold, emotionless voice that made Anna stop before she even reached for the door. She could have sworn her heart had stopped.

"Anna, do you not listen to a word I say to you?" The redhead was now forced to turn around. She looked lost, trying to find a reason for Elsa's questioning. Elsa only flipped her laptop to show her the picture Ygrette had posted on Facebook. She wasn't even aware Ygrette had gotten a hold of that. In the picture, Carlos was standing behind Anna. He was grabbing her arm, almost hugging her from behind.

_Ah, that must have been when he was showing me how to throw. Didn't turn out to well, I guess. _

Anna recalled how the number of balls that went down the gutter and Carlos funny expression every time she kept missing. She couldn't help but smile.

"Anna, why are you smiling? This isn't funny You need to stay away from him." She demanded.

Anna suddenly felt confronted. "Why? Why do you care so much? Do you still want him? Elsa, you can't do this. You have a boyfriend!" she didn't even noticed when she raised her voice.

Elsa sat without saying a word. To Anna, it felt like hours. Elsa spoke again, her voice no longer shaky. She regained her calm.

"Look Anna. It's not that. Just listen to me, okay?" She shut her laptop, placed it on her bed and stood up.

"Why should I listen to you, Elsa? Here I am trying to meet new people and then you, you who has always been cold to me since they one, you are trying to make me miserable. Carlos and Ygrette aren't so bad. I mean, she's your sister for God's sake! And Carlos... Well you dated him, you should know what a gentlemen he is."

"Oh Anna, if only you knew."

"Well, why don't you tell me? It doesn't have to be this complicated." Anna could tell there was some hurt in Elsa's eyes. Whatever she was trying to tell her was obviously not easy, or maybe just not for her.

"Look... Look Anna. I just don't want you getting hurt."

_Elsa has feelings? She actually cares for people?_

Anna stood in shock.

It was clear that neither of them would do any more talking for the night, not that they had much to say.

Anna stepped into the shower, thinking about Elsa, seeing her in a different way. Confusing feelings that made her unable to think straight. A few feet away, Elsa laid in bed. As hard as she tried to keep her eyes closed and fall asleep, she could only manage to stare at the ceiling and think about what Anna had said.

* * *

**AN:** I was trying to go for a chapter a day, however since the chapters will be getting longer (hopefully) I will update them every other day unless I have time on my hands. So sorry about the delay! I had a story conflict and took me longer than necessary.

Also, I feel like I need to give you guys more elsanna moments, which I will. You just wait! Hehe.

Let me know what you think so far,

Enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The week had come and gone. Classes were about to start and no one was really looking forward to them. The atmosphere around campus was chaotic; everyone tried not to get in each other's way. Last minute errands and purchases were what everyone had in mind.

For the first time in her entire life, Anna had actually managed to get everything ready in time, yet here she was running around campus. She was sure that she'd have to find some activities to do before she began her job, in order to avoid Elsa, but then again she'd probably see her there. Since she would practically be around Hans 24/7.

Both girls had tried to avoid each other as much as they could. They had spoken little, if at all, since the day of their last fight. Elsa was the hardest person to form a relationship with. She had looks, confidence and talent to die for. She could have anyone at her feet if she so wished. Her reluctance to let people get close to her made it hard for anyone to get along.

She lived in a world where only a few people were privileged enough to witness the true Elsa. If anyone could get in, they'd have to tear down iron walls, or so Anna thought.

Around noon, Anna decided she had done enough window shopping and it was time for lunch. While she waited for her food to arrive, she pulled out her phone.

Anna: _Can I ask you something?_

Ygrette: _Yes, Anna, he's into you._

Anna:_Not what I was going to ask._

Ygrette: _Doesn't make it any less true. What's your question though?_

Anna: _Why does Elsa push everyone away?_

Ygrette:_I inherited all the social skills._

Anna: _No, but seriously._

Ygrette: _Honestly...?_

Anna didn't want to push too hard, maybe there was something she wasn't supposed to know.

Ygrette:_I feel like the reason is not for me to tell. You should talk to her._

Anna: _I understand. Wish me luck!_

_Well that was useless._

She was stuck in a situation that would probably not turn out well regardless of what she chose to do. She could ignore Elsa for the rest of the year, which would make things super awkward, or she could confront her, which would lead to more fighting and well, awkwardness.

Kristoff had agreed to meet up with her after he'd finish purchasing his books. With everything else going on, Anna felt like it had been a while since she talked to Kristoff. Not Kristoff the one everyone knew and loved, but her best friend Kristoff.

"Wow, it's weird to see you without Ygrette next to you nowadays." She tried to show a smile as she said it.

"I might be a ladies man, but I also need some alone time."

"And yet here you are with me, you goof."

"Ah, good point. How you been though? How's Carlos?"

"Ugh, don't even ask. I feel bad for not even trying to text him since that night. Am I the only one who finds it weird that Ygrette mentioned his and Elsa's relationship?"

"Well, to be honest I didn't think about it until now. I was more worried about the look in your face at that time. It was either serious constipation or...?" Anna elbowed him before he could finish his sentence.

"Ow! What was that for?" He rubbed his arm.

"To prevent you from saying anything worse!"

"Alright, fine. But seriously though, did something go wrong?"

"I'm still trying to understand. Something put me off. I mean, I wasn't having the greatest of times but I was okay, you know? And then all of the sudden, I don't know. It might've been what Ygrette said."

"It kind of makes sense. If I went on a date with someone and their ex was brought up I probably wouldn't be too happy about it."

"But see, I'm not even interested in Carlos. I couldn't even care less about him."

"Well then, is it something to do with Elsa?"

"Ugh, I don't know. This is weird. I shouldn't even be bothering you with this."

"You know you can always count on me, Anna. Seriously."

"Thanks for that." she returned her gratitude with a hug and a smile.

"Well, I should probably get going since I agreed to meet up with Ygrette as well."

"Yeah, yeah. I thought you needed some alone time. But hurry! I'm pretty sure she wouldn't stand it if you were even a minute late." He gathered his things and ran off. Anna thought about how different things would be if she'd never met Kristoff at all. He was always the big brother she never had, finding ways to tease her and comfort her all at the same time. It's true, during freshman year they grew apart and rarely spoke to each other but after Anna's mom got really sick, he started visiting again. Soon enough it was as if everything had gone back to normal. Anna wondered if Ygrette would cause another separation between the two. She could tell Kristoff was quickly falling for her. Whatever happened though, she only wanted Kristoff to be happy.

* * *

Anna knew Elsa was in the dorm even before she entered. Just because they were avoiding each other didn't mean they had to sleep elsewhere. It was inevitable that they face each other at some point, so Anna figured she might as well get used to it.

She entered and found Else lying in bed, reading a book. She couldn't look better.

It's just as if she was in another universe, not a worry in the world. And those glasses... They make her look even sexier.

_Did I just...? Well damn, it's really hard to hate her right now._

Elsa's angelic face, according to Anna, was interrupted by an awkward figure standing at the door.

"Do you have this thing were you just randomly stand for a long time?" Anna didn't say anything and just sat at her desk and opened her laptop. Elsa continued reading, not caring whether Anna responded or not.

_Too many syllabi to download. That's the downside of having everything online but at least I don't have to carry books._

Anna's phone suddenly went off, startling both of the girls. Anna couldn't help but laugh while Elsa just returned to her book and continued reading, obviously annoyed.

_Hmm, some number I don't recognize._

"Hello?"

"Hey Anna! It's Carlos."

"Oh hey Carlos. I didn't know this was your number." Anna felt Elsa's gaze on her. She heard the thump of her book fall into the bed.

_Shit, I better step outside before something serious happens in here._

She stepped outside and paced around the hall.

"Yeah, I had to change my phone since I kind of ran over it and I figured I might as well change my number."

"You could have just texted, you know?"

"Well, there's another reason I called."

"Oh yeah?"

_Shit, how can I say no?_

"I know you didn't really enjoy the other night-"

"Oh man, was it that obvious?"

"Sort of, but that just gives me an opportunity to take you out again. This time it'll be just you and me though."

"Umm, sure. That sounds good." She stared into the wall.

"Great. I know you'll be busy with school during the week, so how about this weekend?"

"Perfect."

Anna had finally stopped pacing. She leaned against one of the walls and looked at her phone, regretting having said yes.

She hesitated about going back to her room. She entered and stared at Elsa, only to find her staring back. Her eyes seemed welcoming, sincere and challenging. Anna was almost tempted to share everything with her, as if she was inviting her to her side.

"Save it Elsa, you're not my mother." Said Anna instead.

Elsa didn't say anything. She stayed in place for a while before grabbing her bag and leaving the room.

_Well, that's that._

* * *

Elsa did not know what else she could do to make Anna understand. Why was it so hard for her to simply listen without putting up an argument?

_Maybe because she doesn't really understand. You really need to explain it to her, tell her the truth._

There were several times when she almost gave in, she wanted to tell Anna everything. The thing about Anna though, unpredictable, crazy Anna, was how unexpectedly she would react. Besides, telling her the truth would only make Elsa look vulnerable and she didn't want anyone, including Anna, to see her that way.

There had to be another way. She had to make Anna trust her.

_No shit, Sherlock. Too bad you screw things up with her since day one._

_Who's the person she trusts the most? Probably __Kristoff__. I can't get to him if he's with __Ygrette__, though. She has her way of manipulating people._

_Oh, but here's an idea._

Elsa was aware that she could not change the way Kristoff felt about Ygrette, it would be impossible for him to look at her in a different way. She was sure that Kristoff probably didn't like her very much since Anna must have told him about their fights.

There was only one thing she knew for sure. Kristoff would do anything for Anna, so if she told him that she intended to work things out with Anna, he'd be more than happy to help.

And so he did. He didn't even put up a fight after Elsa mentioned her name.

"Do you think this will actually work?"

"I'm not saying she'll like you from now on, but she'll know that you're trying and I'm sure that's all she wants." He responded indifferently.

Elsa didn't understand how such a small gesture would change things, but then she realized she didn't really know Anna and Kristoff did. So she listened to him attentively and did as he said.

* * *

Elsa's alarm was always prompt at 6:30AM every morning. Fortunately Anna had always been a heavy sleeper and even if she did wake up, she'd always managed to go back to sleep.

Sometimes she could hear Elsa giggle at the state Anna would wake up in, messy hair and light snores. She was usually too sleepy to care and didn't even take notice of it until hours later, when by then she'd figured Elsa's giggles were just a fragment of her imagination. Those were the moments when she regretted not being a morning person, she couldn't fully appreciate a different side of Elsa.

The fact that Elsa wouldn't mention it after, made Anna even more skeptical. She didn't want to initiate a conversation over something that might have not even happened, then Elsa would think she was also crazy, not that she didn't already.

Having chosen a class at 8:00AM during her freshman year was one of the biggest mistakes Anna had made. This year she was sure she wouldn't repeat the same mistake. Her first class began at 10:00, which gave her enough time to gain full consciousness and have breakfast.

By eight-thirty she had managed to get up, willingly or not. She sensed something different about the room but couldn't put a finger on it. She dragged herself to the bathroom and struggling as she was, she made it into the warm shower.

_What better way to wake up than a nice hot shower? Oh shit, I don't have time for a long shower._

Fully awake, she pulled the towel around her body and stepped back into the room.

_Is that... Chocolate?_

She wrinkled her nose, trying to capture the entirety of the magnificent scent in the room. It didn't take her long to spot a box of chocolate assortments over her desk. She took long strides to reach for them, almost slipping on the now wet floor.

She examined the box closely and finally picked it up, noticing a note underneath. The fine, elegant print read:

_I'm sorry __for __being a bitch. You're right, I'm not you mother._

_Can we start from scratch?_

_Enjoy the chocolates,_

_**Elsa**_

Anna couldn't even begin to describe the feeling that spread throughout her being. Could it be the chocolates or Elsa? She wondered if she was dreaming but quickly released that thought.

_This better be happening. _

She looked through her clothes, trying to find something to wear for the first day of class. After much hesitation she finally decided on an outfit, while all along thinking about the note she had found.

Before leaving for breakfast, she quickly grabbed a piece of paper and tried to come up with the correct words for Elsa. She wasn't sure if that apology was one she could accept, she wasn't even sure if that deserved to be called an apology.

She grabbed her backpack and left the note on Elsa's desk, re-reading it over and over until she finally realized she would be late if she didn't leave then.

The dining room was packed with students trying to get their food. Long lines at every food station. She hoped that this wouldn't be the case every day, otherwise she would have to start making her own breakfast.

She spotted a tall familiar figure with blonde hair, Kristoff. He waved at her and signal for her to join him in line.

"It's strange seeing you without Ygrette." She scanned the vast room looking for her.

"Well good morning to you too, shorty. And yes, this is the second time you've mentioned that"

"This might actually be the first time I see you in a good mood this early in the morning."

"What can I say? I think I'm in love." He shrugged.

"I take it you're not officially a thing then?"

"Nah, it's a little too soon. I mean, there definitely is attraction between the two of us but we're just getting to know each other."

"Well that's good to hear. I'm glad you're happy, I can see it in you." Anna gave him a sincere smile and he knew she meant it.

"What about you? Anything new with Carlos?"

They both grabbed a plate and looked at the selection of foods.

"He's taking me out on another date this weekend."

"And that's a good thing, right?"

"To be honest, I'm not even sure I want to go."

"Cause of Elsa?"

"Yes. No. Well, not for the reasons you think. I couldn't care less that he dated her."

"What's the problem then?"

"Well the problem is that she has a problem with it." Kristoff stared at her with confusion.

"Doesn't she have a boyfriend?"

"That's what I said! Apparently there's something I don't know about him."

"Well he seems like a nice guy, but looks can be deceiving. I guess it's just a matter of who you trust the most."

"I barely know any of them. I doubt Elsa would lie to me. Ugh, and I doubt Carlos would hide something that important."

"Trust your instinct. Of course, be careful, we both know what happened with Samantha." They walked to a nearby table and sat.

"I should really take it slow with him."

"Well I think we both know he'll just be in the friend-zone."

"Oh yeah, definitely."

Kristoff walked Anna to class and apologized for not being able to meet up with her for lunch, he had already agreed to catch up with Ygrette.

Anna's schedule didn't look too bad. The only class she knew she would dread was calculus first thing in the morning, but it was just better to get it over with. As soon as she walked into the classroom, she regretted not having looked at the reviews for her professors. She regretted not looking up her calculus professor, most of all. She noticed he would look at the door any time someone came in, which wasn't a bad thing, but the antagonizing looks he gave at each student could make anyone drop the course then and there.

_This is going to be hell. Help me God._

"Alright everyone have a seat already, this isn't rocket science. And you back there," He pointed at a guy leaning on the table, "at least pretend you're awake, will you? Do me a favor and shut the door, lock it as well."

_Lock the door? What is he __going to do, murder us?_

"Which brings me to my next point. If you are one minute late, you will be locked out and miss the day's lessons. It is your responsibility to get with another classmate and make up your work. If you are late five days and miss five lessons then I suggest you drop the class, otherwise your GPA will. "

He didn't even have to breathe, it's just as if he was a robot, Anna noticed.

"You will have five exams, including the final. No multiple choices, all short answer. Homework will also count as a test grade, but don't rely on that to bring up your grade. This," he grabbed a student's spiral, "this will not do. You will need a three subject journal for this class; we will be taking a lot of notes. I do call randomly on people so you best make sure you're paying attention." He glanced around the room, trying to spot anyone not looking at him.

"Finally, I know you expect to do nothing today, but oh you're wrong. We don't have the privilege of wasting time. Class begins today so open up your journals."

By the end of the class Anna was sure her hand couldn't do anymore writing. She could tell, by the looks of all the other student's faces, that many would not be coming back. Unfortunately, she didn't have the luxury to drop it since it would be hard to sign up for another calculus class.

_The semester just began and I can't wait till it's over._

The rest of her classes were a piece of cake. Compared to what she had gone through first thing in the morning, who was she kidding, there was no comparison. It had been a long day, longer than anticipated, and she couldn't wait to get to her dorm. Thinking about that brought Elsa back into her mind.

_I wonder if she saw my note. What if she replied?_

That galvanized her return; she didn't even care if she was tired. She briefly remembered what she had written to her.

_I want nothing more than to have a clean slate. Chocolates won't do the trick though ;) -Anna _

She had been hesitant about the wink, but she didn't want to seem emotionless either. She also hoped that would be a way to get Elsa to open up, to show her that she was willing to be in good terms.

Elsa wasn't in the room when Anna arrived, which didn't surprised her because, knowing Elsa, she probably had a rigid schedule. From what Anna could gather though, she had been in the dorm, probably around lunch. A pair of pants and a shirt on her bed gave her away.

_Ha! And here I thought Elsa couldn't be messy. _

She immediately dropped everything as she, once again, spotted a piece of paper over her desk. It felt like Christmas morning all over again, or maybe even better. So much expectation, how could a piece of paper with words in it mean so much? How a string of words could, probably scribbled down in five seconds or less, make her feel so excited? There had only been one thing that had made her feel this way before. That one thing that now only made her heart break, Samantha's smile every morning. She was, however, unwilling to think about that again. She turned the paper over and read the words carefully, over and over again, as if she had missed something the first time.

_I knew you wouldn't make it that easy. I guess I'll call this a challenge._

_I hope you had a first good day in class._

_P.S. Believe me when I say I love challenges, they're what I live for._

_**Elsa**_

Anna couldn't stop smiling like an idiot. Elsa clearly expressed herself better through written words than in person. She was like a whole different person, charming personality which rarely showed through her day to day interactions. She wanted to respond back as soon as she had finished reading the note, the only thing stopping her was her inability to think of something appropriate to say. She headed for her bed, not letting go of the note. She was afraid that if she let it go, it would make it unreal. As she recalled the day's events, she thought about the next day, what her classes would be like and what challenges she would have to face. No matter what she thought about though, it always came down to Elsa and her note. It was and endless loop of realizations. She was thinking too much that she didn't even realize she was slowly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**AN:** So, shorter chapter than I anticipated. Kind of rushed through it in the end so if you spot any mistakes let me know and I'll be forever grateful :D

Let's see, what else? Oh yea, remember the elsanna interactions I mentioned? Prepare yourselves for more!

I have a feeling you guys will like this chapter slightly more than the rest.

Also, I made a Tumblr account: siri-ias, I've also added it into my profile.

One last thing before this gets too long, I want to know if you guys spot any allusions/references throughout the chapters.

Enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

"As you can see here, you can only find the limit once you get rid of the radical so let's work on anoth- actually we don't have time for that so I'll see you next time." The class was dismissed two minutes before the clock hit 11:05AM. It was going to be a long day, first days usually were.

Elsa wouldn't have another class until one, which gave her enough time to grab lunch and change her clothes. The August heat and having to walk to class prevented her from wearing the pullover she had put on that morning, when the pleasant breeze was cool enough to wear long sleeves.

Her walk back to the dorm had been shorter than expected, which gave her more time to grab lunch. Although she usually disliked when things didn't go according to plan, Elsa did not mind the few extra minutes she had not planned for. She checked her in-boxes as she waited for her food to arrive. She always preferred to eat in the small cafés outside of campus, finding the others usually packed with students and thus too distracting for her calm nature.

_One of these days I'll actually have to go out of town for a change._

Although she grew used to vast rural environments as a child, Elsa believed the city was were she belonged. The city complimented well with her need to always keep busy, but it was nice to get away from all the chaos once in a while. Her father owned a country house near the town, far enough to get away from campus and close enough to drive herself. She told herself to revisit that topic later, suddenly interrupted by her food.

Elsa was the type of person who disliked anything out of order. She had a proper way of doing things, almost close to perfection. Her view on life was lingering between realistic and optimistic, striving for things she only knew she was capable of, and so far that had worked.

Since she always focused much of her time on doing everything right, she rarely paid attention to anything else, or anyone else for that matter. There were only a few people, less than a handful according to her sister, who had gotten to know the real Elsa. She never really minded not getting involved with anyone, unless there was something she could gain out of it. The way she did things made her look over confident and arrogant to the rest of the world, who ironically was attracted to her. She never understood why but paid no attention to it after a while and other issues regained her focus. It was the same way with Anna, not that Anna was fond of her after showing her how cold and careless she could be. Ever since she met her at North Aim, she had put up a front. Even though she didn't know Anna would turn out to be her roommate, she didn't see how befriending her would be beneficial. The first opinion she formed of Anna was what a stubborn, clumsy person she was. No matter, there was something about her that attracted people, perhaps her charisma. She was sure Kristoff wanted more than a simple friendship with her, but Anna was too oblivious to find out. Then there was Ygrette, who befriended her immediately and let's not forget about Carlos.

_Carlos..._

She couldn't lie to herself, Carlos was the only reason she was trying to become someone Anna could trust. She had to become someone who could influence her without telling her the truth. This was the first time she was doing something for the sake of someone else besides herself. Not that Anna deserved it, but what Carlos had done to her was horrible. She could be the most self-centered person, but injustice was something she could not live with. She would not let Carlos get away with doing what he did to her to someone else. How could he live with himself? She remembered how he wouldn't even flinch or second guess himself whenever he threatened her. He had been the perfect friend when they first met, and then the perfect boyfriend when they thought they couldn't live a second without each other. The downside of moving things too fast was not getting to know the other person fully well, and she had regretted that for the three months of their relationship. He had always been attentive and well mannered. He had always been proud of calling her his girlfriend, as if he had achieved the impossible, and perhaps that had been the problem. In the latter months of their relationship, his jealousy had prevented Elsa from being herself, to the point where she forgot who she had become. She lost sense of herself and only did what he asked. He got used to it and whenever she stepped out of line, in his opinion, he grew possessive and treated her as an object instead of a person, respecting no boundaries when it came to abuse.

Elsa was too smart however, to withstand something like that much longer. Even when she hoped he would change and they could salvage their relationship, she made up her mind to get out of that relationship, no matter how reluctant she was. She knew that Anna wouldn't be as strong if she fell for Carlos and loved him as much as she had. She wouldn't see Anna leaving him even after seeing how rough he could get, and that's why she had to be protective of her. She had to fix her own mistakes by helping Anna prevent hers. She had to do it even if in the end Anna ended up hating her because she hated when people got hurt and no one deserved going through what she had gone through with Carlos, not even him.

Not even him and not even Ygrette who had no reaction when she found out. She blamed it all on Elsa, but Elsa knew Ygrette was blinded by anger and blame. Blame which she could never make go away because she was the reason for it, or that was what Ygrette kept telling her every time they got in a fight.

"You're the reason she's dead, you know?" She would tell her with so much anger and reproach.

Elsa - little spoiled Elsa at the age of fifteen - got everything she wanted if she just asked. While on a camp that she had begged to go to for months, she decided that she no longer wanted to be there. She couldn't stand the humidity, the lack of technology and all the rules they were forced to adhere to. She had managed to sneak out and reach a phone, where she called her mother and demanded that she pick her up that instant. Perhaps it was Elsa's way of getting things or perhaps it was her mother's love for her that caused her early death. When the whole family found out about the tragic accident her mother had suffered on the road, Ygrette couldn't help but blame her sister.

Those memories made Elsa shiver. Those were the memories she had to live with, the memories that had shaped her up until this point and maybe forever. Those memories, unfortunately, were also secrets. They belonged to her, if she let them go she would no longer be who she was, and that was one of the few things that scared her. Of course she thought that the influence those events had had on her life were for the better, as if they happened for a reason unknown to her, but that might just be her being optimistic.

She had lost track of time, also completely forgot about her lunch. No longer hungry, she asked for a to-go box and before placing every item meticulously in the box, she realized she would no longer have time to head back to Maple Hall and change into the outfit she'd left on her bed. She was surprised at how easily she has let herself get distracted earlier, maybe she just felt that Carlos was a potent threat that needed to be dealt with.

_It's all for Anna._

She kept repeating that to herself in every class, not realizing that she was letting herself become more and more distant and distracted. The first day was finally over and she would finally have time to head back to her dorm. She was certain that as soon as she laid in her bed she would appreciate it like nothing before.

As she walked through the halls, she wondered if Anna would be there. What if she hadn't read the note? Or even worse, what if she read it, decided it was a stupid way of communicating and given up altogether?

_Way to be optimistic, Elsa._

She entered the room, expecting to find Anna working on homework or who knows? Doing something Anna-like? It was too quiet and for a moment she thought Anna was out. That thought was dismissed when she heard Anna's light breathing.

_Only Anna would need a nap on her first day._

_Did she even have that many classes today?_

She spotted the turquoise piece of paper Anna had pressed between her arms and her chest. _The note!_

_Was it really that boring?_

There was no really knowing what Anna had thought about it, mainly because she wasn't awake. Elsa walked to her side of the room, dropped her bag on the edge of the bed and grabbed a book. She had the habit of becoming too engrossed in her reading. Anna found it fascinating as she stared at Elsa, who was too into the book to realize Anna had woken up.

Not wanting to interrupt, Anna grabbed her phone and texted her, finding the need to communicate with Elsa immediately.

Anna: _Late on the reply, let's make it a challenge. How was your first day?_

She stared at Elsa until she reached for her phone, not moving her eyes from the book. After finishing the paragraph she was on, Anna thought, Elsa looked at her phone. Her gaze then turned to Anna.

_Oh God, those glasses are now staring at me..._

She only managed to give her a smile and Elsa began to type into her phone.

Elsa: _That's what I like to hear. Classes were okay, can't really complain. How was yours?_

Anna: _Ugh, can classes ever go right? If it weren't for calculus my day would've been better. I swear my professor is the devil. As you can see, I can complain._

Elsa:_You do the __rambling __thing via text too. I'm taking calculus as well, luckily I didn't sign up for the devil._

Anna could see Elsa's smile as she typed that.

Anna: _Oh good! You better be a good tutor ;D_

Elsa: _Tutor?_

Anna: _You're good at everything you do, and I suck at math so you'll be the reason I won't fail :)_

Elsa: _Yes, boss._

Anna: _Oh where are my manners? Please and thank you. I'll let you read your book now._

Before Elsa returned to her book, she looked at Anna and have her a devilish smile. The only thing Anna could do was reciprocate before they both returned to their duties.

* * *

The week had gone by in a flash. Classes had not been as bad, considering all they did in most of them was go over the syllabus.

Regardless, Anna felt she needed a break. It wouldn't hurt. Besides, she'd start work next week and would be much more busy.

Ygrette had invited her out but she declined when she remembered her date with Carlos, not that she wanted to go. She was simply unable to come up with a polite way to refuse.

The more she tried to think about him, the more she realized she didn't even know him at all. Sure, they had talked but clearly not enough to form an opinion about him. He was good looking, that was a given, but was he really her type? She was no Samantha, that much was for sure. He wasn't daring or spontaneous as far as she could tell. There was nothing about him that called out to her, no attraction. Now that she had become somewhat closer to Elsa, one thought lingered in her mind. Why would Elsa want her to stay away from Carlos? At first she thought it was just jealousy, but now that she knew Elsa wasn't that type of person, she questioned the reason. She would have to ask her sometime in the future. Preferably not the near future though, she didn't want to ruin the relationship she was forming with Elsa. They kept communicating since the first day of class and although they usually just talked about their day, Anna could feel a bond forming. The daily texts were something she'd look forward to. She felt a sense of accomplishment, as if she was succeeding at lowering Elsa's guard.

She shot a quick glance at her phone, seeing a text notification hover over the top part.

_Speaking of the devil_.

Elsa:_So, are you doing anything tonight?_

It was Friday and as hard as she had tried to plan something, she had failed. She didn't really want to admit that in reality she had just been too lazy. She replied back with no hesitation.

Anna: _Sadly no. It'll be a boring Friday :(_

She waited anxiously for Elsa's reply, she didn't even realize how fast her finger nail was hitting her phone's screen.

Elsa: _Some of my classmates invited me over to a house party. Want to come?_

_I totally did not expect that. Did Elsa just invite me out? I must be doing something right._She thought with a smirk on her face.

Anna: _I probably won't know anyone there._

Elsa:_Since when has that stopped you? Never, I'm sure. And don't worry, I don't know anyone there either. I figured it'd be a way to kill time... and boredom._

Anna: _Say no more, count me in. But why would you want me to come?_

Anna had hesitated upon typing the latter part of the text message. Was she being too straightforward and over analyzing things, or was Elsa just being spontaneous?

Elsa: _Well, you did say chocolates wouldn't make it up, right?_

Anna:_I see you haven't forgotten then. Good!_

Elsa:_I wouldn't forget. Meet you back in the dorm room at 8:00? I'll leave work at 6:00 but I have some errands to run._

Anna: _When do you not? See you._

Elsa arrived exactly at the time she had told Anna, who was surprised she had actually been prompt. Fortunately, she did manage to get ready.

"Hi," Elsa smiled as she walked into the room. "I see you're ready to go."

"I had too much time on my hands, figured I might as well." Said Anna, half smiling and half sighing.

"Sorry about making you wait, I just have to take a quick shower."

"No worries, I didn't actually expect you to be here this early."

"What can I say? I'm a punctual person."

"Nothing like me." They both had a laugh as Elsa stepped into the bathroom. Anna sat on the edge of her bed as she checked her phone.

_Nothing interesting going on, well it is Friday night so everyone must be out._

"Hey Anna?" She heard Elsa scream from across the door.

"Yeah?" She stood up as she could not hear well with the shower running.

"I forgot to grab a towel and I'm already undressed, do you think you could hand me one?"

"Oh yeah, one sec." Elsa left the door ajar, in order to see if Anna would actually be able to find a towel.

"Try that drawer on the left. Yeah that one." Anna pulled out a towel and walked back towards Elsa.

"Who would have thought you'd forget it, huh?"

"Well, I'm not perfect that's for sure." Anna handed her the towel, suddenly noticing the tattoo she'd seen before, it was so detailed. Anna's eyes then ran towards Elsa's shoulders, not taking her eyes off her skin and then her collarbone and her neck... _Oh God her neck_. She wanted to compliment her and before she could think of something to say she spilled it out. "You're perfect."

Elsa just stood there holding the towel, not realizing Anna had already let go. Anna tried to say something else but only managed to turn red. "I- uh.. Should really shower." Elsa quickly shut the door.

_What was that all about? You were staring at her like an animal chasing its pray!_

_Oh God... Do I... Feel attracted to her? She has a boyfriend for god's sake!_

The drive to the party had been silent, neither of the girls were sure of what to say. They felt as if anything that would come out of their mouth would be awkward and only make things worse. They were both grateful that it wasn't far from campus.

"I should have warn you, these people are crazy." Elsa said as they both walked across the front yard.

"I thought you didn't know them."

"I don't, but can't you tell?" Her voice was now louder, the music made it almost impossible for each other to hear.

"Is it too late to leave?"

"I didn't take you for the kind of person to pass out on a party."

"And I can't believe you're encouraging me to stay!" Anna laughed. The tension between the girls no longer there.

"Elsa!" Some random girl shouted from the other end of the room, quickly approaching them. "Here's my favorite classmate." The girl attracted everyone's attention towards the girls. Anna was sure they were only staring at Elsa. She felt something inside of her and she was sure it wasn't jealousy, or maybe it was.

_Keep your eyes off her, you __pervs__!_

Everyone at the party was already either tipsy or drunk. Elsa noticed how easy it was for Anna to talk to people, jumping from person to person and group to group. She wasn't even aware that she quickly became the center of attention. People just loved to be around her. Elsa, now sitting on one of the couches, stared at her from afar. She only now noticed her funny face expressions, the way she squint her eyes and the way her cheeks would rise up and made her freckles so visible. Anna then looked at her, smiled and stuck her tongue out to her, shaking her head. Elsa only smiled and waved, feeling conscious about having been caught staring at her.

Anna:_I see you staring. Having fun? _

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

Elsa: _Not as much as you apparently._

Anna: _Must be the alcohol. How come I see you with no drinks?_

Elsa: _I'm driving, remember?_

Anna: _Oh, how responsible! :p_

_Elsa: You are drinking too much though, don't think I haven't noticed._

_Anna: "you're not my mother."_

An unexpected laugh escaped from one end of the room, Anna instantly knew it was Elsa's. This was the first time she had heard her laugh in such a way, no one else's laugh was like hers, they couldn't even come close to comparison. It was just like a lullaby, bringing nostalgia of happiness into her heart. She could have sworn she had heard that laugh a thousand times before, yet it was like opening a gift for the first time. It made Anna rethink all her decisions. How was she able to ever hate Elsa? It was unimaginable, and her laugh... She realized she had been the reason behind her laugh, her and no one else. It was in that moment that she realized she had been falling for Elsa. She had been falling for her and she didn't even know it, in a subtle way she had come to appreciate everything about her, she didn't even care about the way they have behaved towards one another when they met.

Having finally found a way to repair her broken heart, she sunk into a deeper realization. It didn't matter if she had fallen for Elsa, or if she had finally found someone else to make her the least happier. Elsa would never feel the same way. She had to accept that all she could ever have was Elsa's friendship, and that would only be if she'd let her. She drank more to her dismay. She had to find a way to forget about her new found feelings, she had to no matter what.

* * *

After half an hour of searching, Elsa finally found Anna.

_What a drunken mess._

She had to admit it was her responsibility to get her back home. She was, after all, the person who'd brought her here. Not that she minded, Anna would appreciate it anyway.

Anna was no longer able to walk properly and no longer had a sense of recognition.

_This is like history repeating itself,_ thought Elsa recalling the first time she also had to bring drunk Anna back into their room. Oh but how things had changed from then till now. The term 'best friends' wouldn't be the correct word to describe their relationship.

_Not yet anyway._

Elsa believed she could win Anna over easily. So far she was doing a great job at it. At times she wondered how far this would have to go for. She certainly enjoyed Anna's company, but she wasn't sure of what would happened after she could completely remove Carlos out of her life. Uncertainty was one of the other things she hated.

The car's dashboard read 4:37AM when the girls got home. Elsa was forced to wake Anna as she had fallen asleep on the way. She struggled to get her into the building, up the elevator and finally into the dorm.

Anna was getting heavier by the minute, her brain no longer in control of her body. At least she was a few feet away from her bed. Practically dragging her, she stood by Anna's bed, finding it impossible to put her down since Anna was clung on to her on the opposite side.

_I really should have thought this through._

She tried to walk around Anna so that she would be next to her bed instead but as soon as she got in front of her, Anna lost balance and pushed her onto the bed, along with herself. By then, Anna was almost completely asleep.

"Psst. Hey, Anna. Wake up."

Anna let out a light snore before she replied. "Huh? Wake?... No."

"C'mon Anna, let me up." She tried to shift her body in order to become free from Anna's grip over her body, but Anna only made it stronger.

"Anna..."

"No." Almost unaware of what she was letting out of her mouth.

"Anna you're drunk and I need to sleep."

"Stay." Elsa could have sworn Anna was doing this on purpose but she could no longer put up a fight. There was no way she was getting out of this one. This was stubborn, drunk Anna at her finest.

_Maybe this whole night has been a mistake_.

She could feel Anna's warmth every time the redhead made the slightest movement. Had this been anyone else, or any other time, Elsa was certain she would have regretted it. Now that she thought about it, this wasn't actually too bad. Anna had something about her that made it hard for Elsa to pull away regardless of how hard she tried.

Yes, it was true, she initially intended to become Anna's friend to save her from Carlos but the reality was that even though all this time she was trying to win Anna over, Anna was doing the same. Elsa could feel a real friendship starting to form. Anna was crazy, and unpredictable and there was just no way to deny her. Anna was everything Elsa wasn't, and maybe she was everything Elsa needed in her life which had all of the sudden become exciting. She kept thinking about Anna until she fell asleep.

* * *

Anna woke up five hours later than usual. Unlike most days, she also felt a huge headache and pain in places she didn't even know pain could be felt. She didn't even bother sitting up, only opening her eyes and looking around the room. She knew it was sometime in the afternoon considering how light the room was. She blinked a few times, attempting to keep her eyes open but it was almost impossible. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Elsa, who seemed like she had also just woken up.

_Ugh, why can't I just keep my eyes open._

_Wait... Am I still dreaming?_

Her gaze followed Elsa as she walked from her bed to the other end of the room until she reached her drawer. She was wearing a long white t-shirt and to Anna's surprise, no pants. The transparency of the shirt and the sunlight coming through the window gave Anna the perfect view of Elsa's figure. Long soft legs and hypnotizing curves. If Anna could wake up to that view every morning she would have no trouble getting up, not even if it was five in the morning. Elsa stretched, giving Anna a more incredible view of her behind.

_Stop staring, you creep._

But she couldn't, not even when Elsa took her shirt off and began to dress in front of her, obviously unaware that she was awake. Then, the silence was filled by Anna's phone. She shut her eyes and pretending to be asleep and bothered by the loud ringtone. She finally shifted and sat up.

"Who is calling me at this hour?"

"You do realize it's 1:00, right?"

"Let me rephrase that, who is calling me when I have a hangover?"

Elsa laughed, "Oh Anna, who hasn't called you. Your phone has been ringing all morning, or should I say all day?"

Anna quickly grabbed her phone and looked at her call history and notifications.

"Shit... Carlos."

Elsa's facial expression went cold, again.

* * *

AN: Not entirely sure how I feel about this chapter, sort of rushed in the end. Let me know what you think will happen next!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Thirteen missed calls from Carlos, Anna tried to remember when was the last time she had received that many. She wondered why he had insisted so much.

_Maybe he was just worried, it is late after all..._

"Carlos, huh?" She heard Elsa ask coldly from the other side of the room. She had stopped doing whatever she had been doing before.

"Yeah, I'd better give him a call back." This was awkward for Anna. She was finally in a good place with Elsa yet she felt that Carlos would just ruin it all. On the other hand, Carlos could be the perfect distraction, she could forget all about Elsa.

"Hey Carlos, sorry I missed your calls." He had answered as fast as he could.

"Anna! What's going on?" She noticed a hint of anger in his voice.

"Umm... Nothing, why?"

"I've been calling you since seven!"

"Oh Carlos, I never wake up at seven. Plus I had a pretty long night last night. I feel like shit so whatever you had planned, I hope it can wait." Elsa sighed with relief as soon as Anna finished that sentence. A little smile light up her face.

"But Anna..."

"I'm really sorry."

"What happened last night?"

"Drinking, that's what."

"Did anything bad happen?"

"Oh don't worry, I was with Elsa." Elsa gave her a look at the mention of her name.

"Elsa? You should be careful around her." There was an awkward silence in both ends. Anna couldn't possibly imagine why Carlos would say such a thing.

"Why should I?" Elsa face was now filled with worry, she knew Carlos was trying to manipulate her. She only hoped he wouldn't tell her the truth.

_Of course he won't, it will ruin his reputation. But still... What is he telling her?_

"Well you're the one who said she didn't like you, Anna."

"I changed my mind, plus you disagreed," Anna raised her left eyebrow in confusion. She looked at Elsa. She had moved from the window and returned to her bed, now sitting with her knees against her chest. She was looking down. "Look I have to go, talk later alright?" She hanged up before Carlos could say anything, not that she wanted him to anyway.

"Elsa. Elsa, what's wrong?"

Elsa didn't want to look up right away. She had given herself away too easily. "Elsa?"

She finally looked up at her, hands rubbing her eyes. "Did I do something wrong? Elsa, answer me!"

"No. You're getting the wrong idea," she gave her an apologetic look. "I just- I just don't think I slept much, with you on top of me and everything." Anna blushed, a thousand scenarios popping into her head. She had gotten drunk to prevent herself from giving Elsa her attention when in reality it had been much worse. It was worth it though, she remembered how cool and soft Elsa's skin felt against hers.

_Great, Anna. Now you've made it obvious!_

"I'm sorry-"

"No, don't apologize. I shouldn't have let you drink that much."

"It was pretty bad, wasn't it?"

"Bringing you here was mission impossible."

"I had a good time, so credit to you!"

"I still feel pretty bad though. I mean look at you. I bet there's no single part of your body that's not in pain right now."

"You can say that again. I feel like I won't be able to move for days." She threw herself back into bed dramatically, with her arm over her forehead. Elsa couldn't help but laugh.

_Ah, there it is again, that laugh._

"What's so funny?"

"You are."

"Well, thanks. I try." They looked at each other, smiling. "So, I didn't let you sleep, huh?"

"What with the snoring and all, no you didn't." Anna looked at Elsa in disbelief.

"I'm so so-" Elsa started laughing again.

"Elsa!"

"God, you're gullible it's actually cute."

_Did she just call me cute?_

"Tell me something I don't know." She sat up and winked at her.

"Do you know you're stubborn?"

"I didn't actually, but it makes sense. I guess I just get what I want."

_Except you._

"Loud?"

"That's a given."

"Crazy?"

"Keep them coming."

"I don't think I know you all that well yet."

"Then you'll just have to find out." They both smiled at each other and that was the end of that.

* * *

"Wow Anna, you look like you're in serious pain right now. Did Elsa beat you up or something?"

Giving him a judgmental look by squinting her eyes at him, she replied. "Why would you say that?"

"I don't know, I thought things were pretty bad between you too."

"They weren't that bad."

"Well how come Elsa came-" Kristoff stopped himself after realizing what he was about to say.

"Elsa what, Kristoff?"

"Umm, well... You know?" He thought of a million things to say but nothing came up.

"I know what? Do you know something I don't? Spill it." Her tone more demanding than ever.

"Why should I?"

"Because you don't want Ygrette to find out about your deepest secrets, do you?"

"Fine, fine. She came to me, alright?"

"What for?"

"She wanted to know what you liked. So I told her."

She pondered. "That explains the chocolates."

"Hmm, she actually did it."

"You didn't think she would?"

"Well, let's just say she was skeptical about it. She didn't think you'd forgive her or something. She wanted to do something big."

"What? Really?" This was news to Anna, news that made her happy. Else had actually thought it through, and she wanted to prove something to her.

"Yes. So how are things now? With her, I mean."

"Completely turned around. You won't believe it. We actually talk to each other, not just text but actually face to face communication. She invited me to this party last night-"

Kristoff chuckled. "Is that why you're like this?" He stared at her up and down and she rolled her eyes.

"Yup, pretty much."

"Well, I'm glad things are good now. It's actually a good thing."

"How come?"

"Well, you know what's worse than the person you hate?"

"What's that?"

"The person you like." Anna tried to avoid his gaze by looking at the floor but it was futile since he lowered his head to have a good look at her face. She felt warmth running from her lower part of her neck to her cheeks and ears, instantly blushing.

"Anna!" Kristoff almost screaming in amazement. "There's no way you actually like Elsa, is there?"

Anna stood without saying anything, shifting her body awkwardly and running her hand on her arm.

"Oh shit, you actually have a crush on her!"

"Shh, Kristoff! No one knows..."

"Oh, Anna. Poor you, she has a boyfriend."

"I know. But it's just a crush, I'm sure it'll go away."

"Do you even want it to go away?"

"Not really," She sighed at her admission. "But, nothing will ever happen between us. Do you think it's weird?"

"Actually, it all makes perfect sense."

"How come?"

"Well Anna, I mean have you seen her? I mean, have you actually seen her? She's incredibly hot." Anna thought about it. She had seen her, she'd caught herself staring at Elsa several times, of course she was hot. She knew that more than anyone. She was the one who lived with her.

"Really, Kristoff? I live with her..."

"Remember how I said how lucky you were?"

"Or it might just be the opposite of luck." She said, crestfallen.

"Oh, c'mon Anna. Try to be more optimistic."

"I don't see how that will help."

"I do."

"Oh yeah? Tell me of this incredible plan of yours."

"I don't have a plan but knowing you, I know you'll work something out. I've seen you do things I didn't think you could do before. When you have your mind on something you get it done, and right now... right now you have your mind on Elsa."

"Ugh, you know me too well."

"Plus you're stubborn." He continued with a smile on his face.

"I feel like this is a pep talk."

"Well did it change your mind?"

"Yeah but that doesn't change the fact that she has a boyfriend, you know?"

"Have you ever met the boyfriend Anna? Do you even know what he looks like?"

"What are you trying to say?" Anna was thoughtful now, registering what Kristoff had just said. Now that she thought about it she never had really seen Elsa around her boyfriend, or anyone else except Hans, Ygrette and herself.

"Anna?"

"Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I have seen her boyfriend actually."

"Oh.. well still, you can't just give up."

"No but they're perfect together, you don't understand. I can't do that to her, I'm not that type of person."

"Good point, that wouldn't be fair."

Anna couldn't stop processing what Kristoff had told her for the rest of the day. She wished she could just forget about the conversation altogether, but he was right; She was stubborn and if she wanted something bad she would get it. That was never a bad thing, not until now anyway and not for her but for Elsa.

_Elsa_

_Elsa and Hans..._

_Could it be or did I just make that up? There's only one way to find out._

She grabbed her phone and looked for Elsa's thread, shifting her fingers to type before she could even open it.

Anna: _Hey __Els__, I have a question._

Elsa:_I have one too._

Anna froze, what could Elsa possibly want to ask her about? Her mind quickly raced to the events of last night.

Anna: _:s what is it?_

Elsa:_Since when do you call me __Els__?_

Anna:_Oh! Sorry, do you mind?_

Elsa: _No, no. I actually like it. But what's your question?_

Anna: _Okay, good :) And well, I was just sitting here, wondering about you._

Elsa: _What about me?_

Anna: _Well I just realized that I've never met your boyfriend._

Elsa: _Ah, didn't know that would matter._

Anna: _It doesn't, I'm just a bit curious. __Hehe__._

Elsa: _A bit?_

Anna: _Alright, alright. A lot._

Elsa: _Well..._

Anna suddenly regretted asking her anything. She was in no position to ask Elsa about her boyfriend, what would Elsa even make of that?

_Shit, she's going to know I'm interested!_

Even though she couldn't see Elsa, Anna knew what face expression she was making. She had grown to know her and knew that certain topics made Elsa turn into a serious person.

Anna: _Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked._

Elsa:_Look Anna, he and I are not in the best of terms right now. So unless things change, you probably won't be meeting him._

_Wait, what?_ Anna wanted to keep asking, she couldn't decide whether that was good news or bad news. Did that mean she stood a chance? But what about Elsa? She must be going through some serious stuff right now. Anna's heart suddenly sank at the realization.

Anna:_Is it Hans?_

She regretted that the second she hit send. She placed her phone upside down on the desk, afraid of what Elsa might say. A minute later, she finally mustered enough courage to look at what Elsa had replied.

Elsa: _Oh God, no! I can't even think about it, he's a little too cocky if I do say so myself._

Anna:_Well, the more you know, right?_

Elsa: _I'm curious, myself._

Anna:_What about?_

Elsa: _What's the reason behind all this questioning?_

Anna turned red before she could finish reading the whole sentence.

_Shit, shit. What do I say? She was interrupted by another text._

Elsa: _Did __Kristoff __put you up to this, Anna? I thought I made it pretty clear..._

Anna: _No, no! I swear it's jut me being curious._

Elsa: _If I didn't know any better, I'd think otherwise but you really are a curious person aren't you?_

Anna: _I guess you're starting to get to know me better._

Elsa: _Alright, my turn to ask questions._

Anna: _Oh God... Go on._

Elsa: _Have I made it up to you yet?_

Anna:_Only about 75%_

Elsa: _Well someone's difficult._

Anna: _What can I say? Plus, you are enjoying the challenge, don't even lie._

Elsa: _True. __Gotta __go though, have to come up with something to make it up, right?_

Anna: _Yeah, you do that :D_

It was getting late. After having a much needed shower late in the afternoon, Anna contemplated on asking Elsa if she wanted to hang out. She remembered that she probably would busy, despite being the weekend so it would just be her. She considered calling Ygrette but she quickly dismissed the idea.

_Ygrette __will probably want to do something crazy and I'm not in the mood for that right now._

It was the first time in a while that she had found herself with absolutely nothing to do. She could get ready for work next week but that didn't seem like it would happen soon so instead she went for a walk. Completely unable to fathom the events of the last two weeks, she lost herself in her thoughts. So much had occurred. Things were changing for the better, or that's what she liked to think.

She thought about Kristoff and Ygrette, glad that he had finally found someone to make him happy. For a period of time she suspected that he had a crush on her, of course he would never admit to it because he knew that Anna only saw him as a best friend, or maybe even a brother. Ygrette however, had made something inside of him spark again. He seemed much more happy now.

It was not long ago that Kristoff had stood with her. The two of them heart broken, Anna because of Samantha and Kristoff because of Anna. She had hated putting him in that position but she could not control how Kristoff felt about her back then, it was a good thing that he was also protective of her. Two months after the breakup, Kristoff prevented Anna from doing anything stupid. She had tried to call Samantha many times, asking for forgiveness, pleading her to come back. She would have done anything to make that happened but as time progressed, and thanks to Kristoff, she grew accustomed to her solitude.

She had walked for forty minutes, unaware that she was now standing in front of Samantha's apartment.

_Fuck, and here I thought I was ready to move on._

Memories came back to her, the number of times she had stood there before. The inside of Samantha's apartment had been her sanctuary for two years. She had spent the happiest times of her life in that place. A place that now only made her feel as if a piece of her heart had been stolen and kept hidden.

She leaned against the rail, opposite the door, looking for a sign that she should knock. Time ran out, she didn't even have time to weigh the pros and cons, Samantha had already opened the door.

"Anna?" She said, a bit surprised yet her tone of voice was unpleasant. "What are... what are you doing here? I thought I gave you everything back."

Anna dropped her hands around her hips, she wasn't sure of what to say, she hadn't even intended to knock much less be outside her apartment in the first place. The silent seconds turned into minutes. An awkward view for anyone standing by. "Hi, Sam." She said, hoping Samantha would invite her in.

And she did, opening the door and motioning for her to come in.

"To what do I owe this visit?"

"Honestly... I wasn't even thinking. I should be leaving, this is a mistake."

"You're here, you might as well stay for a bit."

To say Anna was confused would be an understatement. She wanted to leave and forget that any of this was happening, but she also wanted to stay. She wanted to reprint Samantha's face into her brain, to memorize her voice and most importantly to have her back in her life.

They both sat opposite each other, Anna unsure of herself and Samantha as confident as ever.

"Well, how have you been?" She broke the silence.

"Not bad, here and there."

"How's school?"

"Great, I'm starting work next week. Will be plenty busy."

"That's- That's good to hear."

"Yes, but what about you?" She was dying to hear about her life, how she had spent all this time without her, but in reality there was only one thing she really wanted to hear.

"...So yeah, I couldn't move so now I'm stuck here." Anna caught herself not paying attention before Samantha did, thankfully.

"I see the way you're staring at me, Anna. Let's not go back that road again." She was caught red-handed.

"Did you... Do you ever think of how things would be if we were still together?" Anna's voice was barely audible, the topic made her feel smaller, as if she shouldn't have a say in the matter.

"The past is the past, Anna. Let it go." That ignited something in Anna, she felt like they had had this conversation before and it did not end well, at least not how Anna had wanted it to end.

"No, Sam. I can't let it go, don't you understand? You left me! You left me with no explanation. I deserved more than that." She didn't notice when she had stood up, but now she was walking towards the other couch, towards Samantha.

"Anna, we can't go back to what we had. Can't you just accept that?" They were both screaming at each other now.

"No. I can't, there's no reasonable explanation for what you did. I'm not leaving here until you give me one."

"I don't owe you anything, Anna. Leave!"

"I said, I'm not leaving!"

"You need to move on!"

"Don't you see, I can't. I still love you! I've tried not to but I can't, Sam. I need you and I don't think I will ever stop needed you." The room had become smaller, Anna was now standing a few inches away from Samantha, who was holding her wrists right in front of her.

"Get out! Get out before I kick you out myself!"

With that, she was forced to give up. She had lost herself, she was no longer aware of her surroundings. The only thing she could do was grab her phone and call the first person she could.

* * *

**AN:** Thank you so much for the reviews so far guys, and the follows! They really do make me happy and encourage me to keep writing :D

The story is going to get a little tense as the chapters continue so brace yourselves!

P.S. Who is/are your favorite character(s) so far?

-Alright so shout out to one of you (Guest) for noticing the countless mistakes I made in this chapter, they've been fixed. Cheers!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

A familiar ring filled the air. What was playing on the radio became interrupted by Elsa's phone over her car's speaker system.

"This is Elsa." She couldn't sound anymore formal if she tried, she did it unconsciously.

"Elsa?" She distinguished light sobs, she looked at the caller I.D. and wondered if someone had gotten hold of Anna's phone because the person on the other end sounded completely different.

"Hello? Anna?"

Anna didn't say a word, unable to speak but Elsa felt her pain. "Anna, where are you?"

"I'm not," another sob. "I'm- can you please pick me up?"

"I'm coming over, where are you, Anna?" Anna told her the location as best she could between whimpers and sobs.

Elsa spotted Anna before she even parked. She saw an innocent girl sitting on the sidewalk, her arms crossed over her knees which were folder against her chest. Anna didn't see her, her head was down, trying to hide her tears. She had never looked so vulnerable to Elsa before. To her it had always been crazy, happy Anna so seeing her like this, all of the sudden, changed something in her. Perhaps her perception of Anna or her being, she didn't know.

Not bothering to shut her door, she got off the car and took long strides towards Anna, kneeling before her and placing her palm on the redhead's back.

"Anna, what's going on? You're worrying me."

Anna shifted, all the emotions coming back to her. How would she explain all of this to Elsa?

"Look, it's okay if you don't want to talk about it but you can't stay here. At least get in the car." Anna stood up slowly. She wanted to hug Elsa desperately. She needed to show her how grateful she was but her current state made it impossible, she just wanted to be finished and forget about the situation so she did as Elsa said.

She got into the passenger's seat as Elsa held the door for her. She noticed how she stared at her, carefully analyzing her every feature and expression, she was obviously worried. The least she could do was give her an explanation.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this." She said as she finally calmed down, avoiding Elsa's gaze on her. The blonde was now sitting next to her with both hands on the wheel but had not yet turned on the ignition. She couldn't bring herself to look at her. Elsa finally spoke. "I honestly don't mind. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm better. Just, you know? Relationship issues, or former relationship issues, I should say."

"I understand, you really don't have to explain yourself to me." Anna knew it wasn't because she didn't care but rather because she didn't want Anna to feel uncomfortable.

"Thanks for coming. It really does mean a lot. I wasn't okay, something happened to me, I-"

"Anna, calm down." Elsa said as she noticed Anna's panic.

Anna listened, she breathed in and out. "Are you okay to go home or do you need somewhere else to go?" She asked reassuringly.

"Home is fine. Thanks."

The drive back was filled with silence, this time it wasn't that eerie silence they both had experienced before in their drives. There was a sense of mutual understanding between the two.

"Have you had anything to eat?"

"No, I don't even know what time it is."

"Well it's getting late and you should eat something. Does pizza sound good?" That was the first time that day that Anna had given her a genuine smile. She really was appreciative of Elsa.

"For some reason I took you as more of a sushi person." Anna said, half laughing and half sobbing in the end.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm all for sushi but you can never go wrong with pizza." Elsa took her eyes off the road to give Anna a quick look and grin.

"Pizza it is then."

* * *

"Look at us, having pizza in our dorm room on a Saturday night." Anna said before she took a bite of her slice.

"Well, it has been a long week hasn't it? We did stay up till late last night."

"You mean till very early this morning?" Anna chuckled.

Elsa laughed, "Yeah, let's not make a habit of that."

"I wouldn't mind."

"Says the girl who wakes up past noon."

"I honestly don't see how you do it. How do you get up so early every morning?"

"I guess I'm just used to it."

"But aren't there days you wish you could just sleep in?"

"All the time."

"Why don't you?"

"The way I see it is, life is all about habits. If I break the habit of waking up early then I'm more likely to break all the other habits and then my life will be a mess."

"Control freak much? I'm joking, I'm joking." They both shared a laugh but Elsa's expression turned serious again.

"So, Anna... Are you okay?" Anna stared at her but unlike before, she was smiling.

"Yeah, I mean, I'll be fine eventually."

"How did you end up there though?"

"I have no idea, I just went for a walk and got caught up in my thoughts. I didn't even realize I was there. I didn't even considered knocking on her door. I don't think I wanted to but she answered before I had time to decide." Anna explained, recalling the events and almost running out of breath.

"She?"

"My ex."

"Ah, I see. Did she hurt you, Anna?"

"No, she wouldn't. Not physically, at least. She just doesn't want me anymore."

Neither of them said anything, they remained silent as they processed the events.

"Then I'm going to help you move on." If Anna wasn't paying attention before, she was now.

"Trust me, Ygrette already tried that and it didn't work."

Elsa hid her annoyance at the mention of her sister's name and smiled instead. "Well, it's a good thing Ygrette is not me." She approached Anna's bed, sitting next to her and then scooting in. "You'll be fine, don't worry." She pulled an arm over Anna's back. The redhead nuzzled into Elsa's chest, taking refuge in someone she didn't think she could. Elsa's chin rested on Anna's hair, both perfectly capable of capturing each other's scents. For Anna, it was a scent she would not be able to let go.

"Thanks, Els. But tell me, how are you going to help me move on exactly?"

"I can't tell you that, but you have to promise you'll do whatever I say."

_How can I even say no?_

Anna let go of the embrace so she could look at Elsa. "Okay."

Elsa changed the subject, out of curiosity. "So what was my sister's master plan to help you? Something crazy, I bet."

Anna wanted to be held by Elsa again, she regretted having let go but now it was too late so she only sat up. "Well, it doesn't get any crazier than Carlos, does it?"

Elsa remained quiet for a few seconds. "Do you.. Do you like him?"

"Not one bit, there's absolutely no chemistry between us. I just feel bad for him, you know? I don't want to be mean." Elsa's heart lightened at Anna's admission. She felt worry leave her body immediately.

"What are you smiling about?" Anna interrupted.

"Oh, nothing." Elsa laughed nervously.

"One day you'll have to tell me about Carlos, and about you boyfriend."

Elsa was too happy to let that comment worry her. "Yes, one day but not today."

"Fine," she let out a groan. "You should get some sleep. I bet you barely slept last night."

"You're right. Have to wake up early again." She gave Anna a thumbs up and smiled. She got up and walked towards her side of the room.

"Els?" The blonde turned her head. "Thanks for today. You don't understand how grateful I am."

"Oh this is nothing. Wait for tomorrow. In fact, I suggest you get some sleep."

Anna gasped and Elsa laughed at her expression, giving her a wink and getting into bed.

* * *

Anna felt hot sweat run from almost every inch of her body. She stopped with her hands on her knees, looking for a water fountain. "I can't believe you're making me do this." She panted.

"And I can't believe I was actually able to get you up before seven." Elsa was running ahead of her, but stopped as soon as she noticed Anna behind.

"I hope you're not trying to get me into these habits of yours."

"Why not?"

"Look at me, I'm dying over here."

"That's only because you need to do it more often." Anna rolled her eyes.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" Elsa asked amused.

"Maybe..."

"Fine then, we're doing three more laps."

"Really Elsa? Really? It's Sunday morning, we should be in bed."

Elsa only smiled and kept running, motioning for Anna to follow.

_Well, damn. She needs to wear tight pants more often_.

Half an hour later they were back in the dorm room.

"Oh, man. I feel like I won't be able to move for days."

"Believe me, you'll be moving again tomorrow."

"Are you trying to kill me or something?"

"On the contrary. You need to shift your energy towards new things."

"Whatever you say. Mind if I hop in the shower first? I'm really hot, I know you're hot too," Anna smiled nervously after processing what she had just said. "I mean, yea I'm sure you want to go into the shower as well but I honestly can't handle it. You're probably already used to it but me. Look at me, I'm a mess so-"

"Anna," Elsa interrupted her. "You're wasting time." She shook her head and laughed.

"Right." She turned and ran into the shower.

By the time Elsa got out of the shower, Anna was already lying in bed. She had a book over her face and her hands crossed over her abdomen.

"You better not be asleep."

"I'm reading, can't you see?"

"You must be the only person who reads with a book that close to your face." Anna put the book down, sighed and finally stood up.

"Ugh, I'm beat. I could stay in bed all day. I don't know how you do it. I bet you also have a million things planned for today."

"You couldn't be more right. What about you though? Doing anything special?"

"I'd love to stay in bed but I mean it's Sunday. I should probably go out."

"You're welcome to join me if you'd like." Anna would have loved to say yes but she didn't want to impose Elsa with her presence.

"I think I'll pass on this one. I've got to get ready for work and what not."

"I can't tell if you're actually being proactive or if you're scared of what I might have you do."

"Or maybe a little bit of both."

"Fine, have it your way."

Anna had indeed planned to get ready for work but she had no idea how to even begin.

_Maybe there are things you can't really prepare for._

That's all she needed to convince herself.

_If only I was more like Elsa. She really does have her life together._

She spent half of the day on the computer. She desperately needed to catch up on shows and keep her social networks updated; not knowing when would be the next time she'd have time for that again. The latter half of the day, she spent with Kristoff and Ygrette. She only agreed to hang out once she confirmed Carlos wouldn't be there.

"Did Elsa put you up to this?" Ygrette demanded.

"What's up with you and Carlos going after her? Is there something I should know?"

"Nothing important."

"Well now I'm intrigued."

"As am I." Said Kristoff after chugging down his drink.

"No but seriously, did Elsa ask you not to see him?"

"She did no such thing. She did seem uncomfortable with the topic but it was my decision alone. I don't see myself dating him." Anna noticed Kristoff staring at her with a smirk on his face and quickly remembered that he knew she had a crush on Elsa.

"You haven't even given him a chance. I thought you'd be more daring than that." Ygrette had her attention again.

"I gave him a chance alright."

"Really? Cause I heard you stood him up."

"Ugh, he told you?"

"He seemed pretty upset."

"I take it you two are close, huh?" Kristoff who hadn't bother saying much, was now staring at Ygrette. Anna made a note to watch her words, she didn't want to involve him much less hurt him.

"We've know each other for a while, yes."

"Well enough about Carlos. I've made it clear nothing will be happening between us."

"You're missing out. Now excuse me, I've been holding it for a while." They all laughed and Anna turned her attention towards Kristoff as Ygrette walked away.

"You haven't told her anything yet, have you?"

Kristoff was thoughtful for a while. "About what?"

Anna's cheeks turned red. "You know? About Elsa."

"Oh! No, don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

"Good. Don't you dare tell her."

"I won't, you have my word."

"How are thing between you two anyway?"

"Amazing! I swear I can't keep myself away from her for long. She's like a magnet."

"I guess that's the thing about the Arendelle sisters, you can't really stay away from them."

"Well you couldn't even if you tried, you live with her."

"I don't mind one bit."

"Things got better?"

"Things might change, especially with the boyfriend situation."

"Well, well, well. Who would have thought? If you were waiting for a sign this is surely it."

"I don't know Kristoff, I'm terribly confused. I have no idea what I want."

"Give it time."

"I guess you're right."

"Isn't he always?" Ygrette said as she approached Kristoff from the back, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Consider yourself lucky." Anna said as she raised her glass.

"Oh, believe me I do. As should you." Ygrette answered a little too enthusiastic.

"Why is that?"

"Look at who just got here." Anna wasn't sure if fury was the correct word to describe what she was suddenly feeling. Had Ygrette done this? What was she really up to?

"Ygrette... What have you done?"

"Wow, wow, what makes you think I did anything?"

"Well surely this can't be a coincidence." She was officially annoyed.

"It's a small campus, Anna."

"Hello, ladies. How's it going Kristoff?"

Ygrette and Kristoff greeted Carlos and invited him to sit while Anna just politely smiled without saying a word.

_Really? He has to sit next to me?_

Anna would be forced to endure Carlos' stares for the rest of the evening. She could have sworn he kept scooting in towards her. She shot a look towards Kristoff, who immediately understood her situation.

"So Carlos, how've you been man?"

"Not bad, not bad. Been a bit busy with this new thing I'm working on." Anna was glad that the guys were talking about anything that didn't involve her. That gave her the opportunity to find a way to get out of this one.

Anna: _heeeelp._

She hoped Elsa would respond to her text as soon as she saw it.

Elsa: _What's wrong?_

Anna: _I've been ambushed._

Elsa: _Serves you right, so much for "being proactive."_

Anna smiled at her remark. God she can be so bossy.

She noticed Ygrette staring at her.

_Crap, she knows I'm up to something._

Anna: _I can never say no to Kristoff. I think Ygrette invited Carlos and now I can't leave._

Anna waited impatiently for Elsa's reply, checking her phone every now and then. Instead she received a call.

_Why is she calling me?_

"Hello?" Anna answered, a bit nervous.

"Just follow my lead, okay?"

Anna wasn't clear of what that lead was but she tried to follow along. "Oh, hey!"

"Okay just pretend you're listening and following along and repeat what I say, except this," Anna smiled, curious as to what Elsa could be up to. "Repeat after me: Yeah, I had a great time last night as well."

Anna said it, word for word while Elsa continued. "No, no. I'm not interested in anyone right now. Of course I would love to go out again."

_Shit, I see where this is going. Good one, Elsa. _

The entire table had stopped talking, with the exception of her.

"That was totally hot, though. I mean your physique certainly helps, I'm sure."

She was sure she was completely red by now. She looked at the faces of the people around her; they were all looking at her. She smiled innocently and she was sure that was 100% anger on Ygrette's face and 100% jealousy on Carlos'. Kristoff couldn't be more entertained, he was clearly enjoying the show.

Anna continued mimicking Elsa's words. "Aww, thanks. Yeah, yeah I'm looking forward to seeing you too." She took a break in order to listen and capture Elsa's next words. "I'm sure you'll be glad to know I like going all night long."

_Wait, what did I just say? _

She wanted to demand an explanation from Elsa then and there but she knew that would ruin the whole act. Elsa had already hanged up so she was forced to answer questions now. She could tell Kristoff was trying really hard to suppress a laugh, luckily the other two didn't notice since they were too busy staring at her. Carlos had now created distance between the two. _Thank the gods._

"Well that was awkward, sorry guys."

"What was that all about?" Kristoff asked.

Anna couldn't come up with an elaborate story so she improvised on Elsa's. "Someone I went on a date with last night."

"I thought you felt like shit yesterday." Carlos was clearly angry now.

"I did, but I figured I'd go have dinner then things happened, you know?"

"Yeah, well we don't want to know what sort of _things _happened so that'll be the end of that." Ygrette had never been so cold before, it was just as if her and her sister had switched roles.

Now would be the perfect time to excuse herself, she thought.

"Alright guys, it's getting late and I have things to do for tomorrow so I'll take my leave." She left her seat, gathered her things and gave a small wave.

"Yeah, Anna. Sure you have things to do but we all know you're going to go see a certain someone." Anna wondered if Kristoff actually knew it had been Elsa.

"Oh Kristoff, I'll see you later."

* * *

"That was so embarrassing!" She said immediately after shutting the door behind her.

"But it worked?" Elsa was sitting on her chair and had turned as Anna came in.

"Well if interrogation was what you were going for, I think it did but I managed to avoid it."

"Trust me, Carlos won't even try to contact you anymore."

"Was the end necessary though?" Elsa could read the embarrassment on Anna's face.

"Only to make it more believable."

"Well now they probably think I'm some kind of sex addict!" Anna had been pacing around the room, talking to herself mostly.

"Well, are you?"

Anna stopped, not knowing how to respond or what the appropriate response would even be. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. I mean, I've never actually gone all night. I'm sure it'd be great but not everyone can do it, you know? Plus would that even make you an addict? There are too many factors involved for me to determine. Can people actually do that? Is it possible? What if-"

Elsa was giggling. "Anna, you're rambling again... About sex."

"Oh God!" She jumped into her bed and covered her face with one of the pillow shams.

"It's not that funny," her laugh betrayed her. "Imagine if it had been you in that situation."

"The thing is, I always take control of the situation, Anna."

"Well, you better teach me that habit too."

"I take it you'll continue to do as I say then?"

"Do I have another option?"

"Not really."

"And here I thought I was the stubborn one."

"Let's just say you're not the only one who gets what she wants."

_What a turn on._

"And what is it exactly that you want?" She didn't know what sort of answer to expect.

Else opened her mouth but no words came out so she smiled. "I just want to help you, that's all."

Anna hoped her answer would have been different, although she didn't know in what way. "You won't believe how angry your sister was when I was on the phone with you." She changed the subject.

"I don't understand how you ended up in that situation, with Carlos and Ygrette" Elsa now had a serious expression on her face.

"Neither do I. I mean, initially it was planned that Kristoff, Ygrette and myself would go out and suddenly the Carlos topic came up and I told her that I didn't want anything to do with him, you know? To leave the topic alone and to leave me alone. Next thing you know, Carlos shows up."

"It wouldn't surprise me if she put him up to it." Elsa was thoughtful.

"I didn't take her for that kind of person, especially after I made myself clear."

"Look Anna, I'm not trying to imply anything but maybe it's best if you keep your distance from her. Even though it might be difficult because of Kristoff-" Anna didn't let her finish.

"Yeah, I think I'm starting to see the kind of person that she is. Not that she's a bad person, but I can't really read her intentions. I just hope that this doesn't hurt Kristoff."

"She's not the one to break hearts so you can rest easy."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"How come you two don't get along? You and Ygrette, I mean." That question took Elsa by surprise.

She couldn't even think of a way to begin answering that question. "Things happened between us, I guess our relationship has always been a little tense and it just worsened during the years. It's not the typical 'sister relationship,' I know but it is what it is."

"Oh." Anna didn't want to press on the issue, maybe Elsa didn't want to tell her or anyone else for that matter. Her assumption was made evident by Elsa's unpleasant expression.

"Maybe one day you'll hear about it." The blonde continued after noticing Anna's dissatisfaction with her response.

"No, no. You don't have to, I understand there are things that need to be kept as they are."

"Thank you, I'm glad you understand. I do hope my relationship with my sister won't affect things between you and I."

_Aww, she doesn't want that to affect us, whatever that means._

"Well, good night Anna."

"Night, Els."

* * *

**AN:** Okay so there are several things I need to point out.

1- I've updated Chapter 7 after one of you pointed out some mistakes, thanks!

2- As I was reading the reviews, I noticed one of you made a comment about Anna leading Carlos on, having a crush on Elsa yet still wanting to be with Samantha. I feel like I need to elaborate on this without ruining the story too much. So it sort of runs parallel with the movie, Anna is desperate for love but she's not sure who's love. Does that make sense?

3- Do you guys prefer shorter chapters every day or longer chapters every other day? Let me know, please :D

I think that's it, hopefully I'm not forgetting anything.

Oh yeah, I think I should mention this chapter was a little more fun to write. Caught myself smiling here and there. I hope you like it!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

The majority of Monday and Tuesday went by slightly uneventful. Elsa had dragged Anna with her every morning for a run and promised that she would do it every morning, force her if she had to, after Anna complained about the time. So for Anna, the soreness she felt in her legs was just a reminder of how bad she really needed to stay fit and the reminder that Elsa was actually trying to help her.

On Wednesday morning, after a tedious hour of calculus and a ton of homework, she made a note to ask Elsa for help. That class drained all the energy she could muster in the mornings, well that and the runs Elsa forced her to make. The rest of her classes, or the coursework, were no challenge to her. She was sure that she could pass without even having to try.

Work at the office was nothing she couldn't handle, not that they expected much of her anyway. They probably gave Elsa the more challenging stuff, only she would be able to handle that to perfection, she thought.

There was of course that one meeting... Anna hated recalling embarrassing events but it was inevitable.

Anna and Elsa had been put in charge of contacting clients and informing them of the new policy changes. They had spent a good amount of Tuesday morning calling the people on the lists they had been given. Anna noticed how good Elsa was at it. The blonde was so formal and knew exactly what to say, the clients didn't even bother ask questions due to her authoritative tone, whereas Anna stuttered and had to think about exactly what to say after a response, usually followed by an "uh.." She was only glad that she was able to stop herself from rambling.

After lunch time, the majority of the staff had been called into a meeting. Elsa and Anna, even though they were just interns, were required to attend so as to become familiar with the business environment. Little did Anna know, Elsa was required to attend for other reasons.

"Ladies and gents, have a seat if you would-" Hans stated with his usual charm. The commotion in the room had suddenly been brought to a halt.

"-Thank you. Now, if we may begin." He looked around the room and then to the notes sitting on the far end of the big meeting table. "I initially intended for this meeting to be brief but after my intern and I-" He extended his arm out to Elsa. "- went over some papers we found that the manner in which we are dealing with the current projects, well one project in particular, is actually causing our company losses. Although minor losses, it is important that we deal with them for the sake of long term benefits."

Elsa was sitting at the other end, next to Hans' seat. Anna noticed how focused she looked, her deep concentration causing her eyebrows to furrow. She had her elbow on the table, holding her chin. She couldn't look more thoughtful even if she tried. Her admiration for Elsa was interrupted by Hans' deep voice. "Like I mentioned before, I anticipated this meeting to be short and thus made plans to meet with an associate, however my intern will cover for me and explain the current project's situation and what measures need to be taken."

Elsa stood from her seat and in no time was standing where Hans had been a few seconds ago.

"Thank you Hans, and thank you for the attention ladies and gentlemen. Without further ado-"

_Hell, she can run this company if she so much as wants to!_

"Now, I know this looks different than the usual model you use but for the sake of simplicity we were forced to consolidate the numbers. I understand it might get some time to get used to but it will become much easier after a while."

Anna noticed how tall Elsa actually was, she was able to look at Hans at eye-level, she wasn't even wearing big heels! Her slim figure was covered by a black skirt which gave away the shape of her hips and long legs. The navy blue button down brought up her bust and the rolled up sleeves revealed the soft pale skin on her arms. Anna couldn't get her eyes away from the girl's neck, the open collar was giving too much away, to Anna anyway. Anna recalled the first time she has seen Elsa, so much had changed since then. Fortunately, so much had changed for the good.

Her hair was again put into a braid which rested on her right shoulder. Anna had never paid that much attention to Elsa's physique before. She was starting too much that she even noticed the little hairs standing at the back of Elsa's neck. Her platinum bangs were obviously too long to be called bangs anymore and Anna could tell that she had tried to pull them back but that only created volume. _Only Elsa can look this good without even trying. _Her hair was like a cascade of silver ore melting with the pressure of extreme heat. _Elsa's extreme heat._

_Elsa's extreme heat that I'm becoming a victim of!_

Then there were Elsa's facial features. Her lips moved with a subtlety unaware to anyone except Anna. She would give a small smile everyone in a while which showcased her white, perfect teeth.

_This has to be the definition of a perfect smile, hell she has to be the definition of a perfect human being._

She shifted her gaze from Elsa's lips to her blue fiery eyes. Anna was sure that Elsa's deep, blue eyes wouldn't miss a thing, not even herself. It took her a while to realize Elsa was staring back at her and obviously asking for something. Anna quickly shook her head as if to come back to reality.

"Anna, the copies?" Anna thought about what Elsa had just asked. As she processed the information she quickly recalled the copies Elsa had given her that morning.

"Oh, right. One second." The entire room was now staring at her as she scrambled through the carpets under her. "Aha, found them!" She stood up and walked towards Elsa, only then regretting having chosen a seat so far from the front. She looked down at the papers, making sure she had indeed gotten hold of the right ones. Before flipping to the third page, she tripped on the back of her foot and stumbled into the floor. Luckily, Elsa got a hold of her before she hit the floor. She felt the blonde's soft hands around her arm and waist, and then her cool breath on her ear.

"Are you okay, Anna?" She whispered.

"Yeah, just... not the best day to wear heels." She chuckled nervously and the rest of the group gave a laugh. She handed Elsa the papers immediately and headed back to her seat.

The rest of the meeting went great, Elsa did what she needed to do and got her point across. No one asked many questions and if they did Elsa would give the most reassuring answer.

When the meeting was over Elsa stayed to gather her papers and Anna stayed to avoid any more embarrassment. Once everyone left the room, Elsa shot a look at Anna. "So much for a good first meeting, right?" She looked amused. Anna looked at her in disbelief.

"You better not be laughing at me!" Anna said, obviously kidding.

"I would do no such thing, I'm actually glad that happened-" Elsa put up her finger to signal that she wasn't finished. "-But in a good way. Obviously I'm not glad that you almost feel and might have hurt yourself somehow, but you did manage to bring some humor into the room and release the tension."

"Tension? What tension?"

"Are you kidding? I was sure they were just waiting for me to make a mistake."

"What? No way. You were great. Seriously, really great."

"Well, I'm glad you think so-" She gave her a smile and continued. "-what were you so distracted with anyway? I had to call your name several times."

_Oh, shit._

"Oh. I, uh... I can't tell you." She looked down, avoiding to meet Elsa's gaze.

"Oh really? Do I have to get it out of you?" She smirked at Anna.

"You wouldn't!"

"Probably not, but if I didn't know any better I would think you were staring at me."

_Wait, what? Does she know?_

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Elsa laughed and Anna didn't know what to make of it. Fortunately, the awkward moment was interrupted by Hans.

* * *

It was a funny to think that when Anna had free time on her hands, she could find nothing to do. And now that she barely had time during the week days, she longed for free time. She couldn't wait for the weekend any longer, she was looking forward to finally sleeping in, and then she remembered.

_Of course Elsa won't let you sleep in._

It was an unpleasant thought, but she convinced herself it would be worth it since she'd spend time around her.

Elsa entered the room, catching Anna doing homework for the first time, not knowing she was actually just day dreaming.

"Well this is something you rarely see every day."

"Trust me, I wish you wouldn't have to see it. I wish I didn't have to do it."

"What are you working on?"

"Just some labs." Anna said, not sure what she really was working on since the only productive thing she had managed to do was pull out a binder.

"How's your calculus class going?"

"Well, it's going. Too fast, but it's going."

"I'm sure you'll do great."

"I think I'll settle for fine. I don't think I could do 'great' in math."

"Well enough about school. How are things in general?"

"I'm trying to think of a way to put it, but can't think of anything besides stressful." Anna leaned back into her chair and extended her arms.

"You need a getaway." Elsa said, getting ready for bed.

"Don't we all?"

"Actually that's a great idea!"

"There was an idea?" Anna asked more sleepy than confused.

"My father owns a country house, not too far from here actually, I had been planning on visiting but wasn't sure when. We could go if you'd like?"

_Is she asking me out?_

With no hesitation, Anna agreed. Elsa didn't specify when, and it was now the beginning of September, she only hoped that was a false promise. Though she didn't think Elsa would forget about it, or so she hoped.

"So, how are things with your boyfriend?" She asked Elsa as they had both settled in bed, turning off the lights.

"And here I thought you were about to fall asleep thirty minutes ago and now you want to chat?"

"I become active at night."

"I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means."

It took a while for Anna to process what Elsa had intended. "Elsa!"

The blonde just laughed.

"Well, I'd go to sleep now if I were you. I'm sure you don't want to go for a run while sleep deprived."

"Are you trying to avoid my question?" Anna was hopeful, although she hated to admit it and felt guilty for it, that things wouldn't be good between them two, and then Elsa spoke.

"Great," she yawned and that made Anna wondered if she was just saying that so Anna could shut up. "Things have gotten better. You might actually get to meet him soon."

_Oh._

"Great." and this time, Anna's 'great' was the one she hoped Elsa had given her. It was sarcasm at its finest, she didn't want Elsa to elaborate on how great her relationship really was. Gladly, Elsa was half asleep to note Anna's tone. Internally, Anna wished she had noticed.

It would be a sleepless night.

* * *

**AN:** Ah, I'm supposed to be reviewing for finals and here I am uploading another chapter!

Short chapter I know, but I figured I might as well since I'm planning for chapter 10 to be intense.

What do you guys think of the story line, too slow or too fast? Please, let me know!

Let's see what else is there... Oh, yeah! Thanks for the reviews and all the favs/follows. Means a lot to me.

Critics/suggestions are always welcome. I like to think we're actually writing this fanfic together so don't be afraid to comment on anything. :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

It was two weeks into September, one day away from Elsa's birthday. Anna wanted to celebrate her but seeing how Elsa was really in no mood for celebrations, she found it inappropriate.

Anna understood of course, having gone through tough relationships herself. She was surprised she got an answer when she asked Elsa why she was so upset. It had been three days since the blonde girl and herself had gone for a run. Elsa remained in the door room if she wasn't at school or work. She found her lying in bed more often than not. Her responses would range from yes to no or maybe.

"Elsa, is something wrong? You've been acting different lately. Like, really different. I didn't even react this different when I found out Santa didn't really eat the chocolate chip cookies I baked. I mean, really? All that effort for just a fictional character?" Anna stopped when Elsa shifted in her bed, emitting a light sob. Anna quickly ran and sat next to her. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's up. And you know that's true."

There was a short silence until Elsa finally spoke.

"Let's- let's just say you're not the only one going through relationship issues." Elsa's reluctance towards Anna's eyes was made evident.

"Well, I'm not anymore and it was thanks to you, Elsa. Let me help you. At least get it off your chest."

"It's about Ian."

"Ian?"

"My boyfriend. God, I don't even know whether I should even call him that anymore."

"Did he do something to you?" Anna demanded defensively.

"No, no. I guess I deserved it."

"No one deserves heartbreak, Elsa. No one."

"He cheated on me. He cheated on me because I didn't spend enough time with him. I'm always doing this or that-"

"That's no excuse and it's not your fault!"

"I don't know what to do."

"You can't go back to him, but you probably don't understand that now. Not here anyway, you need a distraction, space to think."

Anna's comment settled it all. The girls left for Elsa's country house that following Friday. Elsa seemed a lot more cheerful by then and that made Anna glad but she wasn't the Elsa she had grown to love. She felt as if she was finally returning what Elsa had done for her. Obviously, she would never be able to remove weak Elsa from her memory. That Elsa had been so distant from the confident Elsa she had known for a month now. She had become so small and fragile, all Anna wanted to do was hug her indefinitely, shield her from anything and anyone but she knew she was in no position to.

They drove in Elsa's car, considering she knew the way and after Anna admitted she had always been bad at directions, even when she had a GPS.

"So, how old are you turning?" Anna asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

"What? How did you know?"

"Facebook, duh."

"Ah, of course."

"You're _gonna_ make me guess, huh?"

"It's not like it's _that_ hard. How old do you think I am?"

"You're probably a year older than me."

"So you're 20?"

"Aha! You're turning 21."

"There, you caught me. Happy?"

"You, my friend, will be the one who's happy after the celebrations."

"Oh don't you dare. I prohibit you from doing so!"

"You'll do no such thing. You can't stop me." Elsa tried to hide her laugh after seeing Anna's daring expression.

"Or can't I?" The blonde girl squinted her eyes.

"Nope. You don't even know what I have planned."

"You're going to be with me 24/7-" Elsa's comment made Anna's heart start racing. "-don't you think I'll find out?"

"Not if I'm very careful."

"How are we going to celebrate if it's only the two of us?"

"Oh, like you've always needed other people to celebrate."

"Honestly, I've never been big on celebrations."

Anna gasped. "You can't be serious?!"

"Serious."

"Well let me be honest, it's going to be nothing big considering. I just wanted you to enjoy your day."

"I'm sure I will. Thanks, Anna."

* * *

_Hmm, the house seems much bigger than I remember._

The desolate place brought Elsa many memories. She had been the first one to enter the house, leaving Anna behind looking for something she had apparently "lost," but Elsa knew it was just an excuse to plan something. She stood at the entrance, looking around. It wasn't a big place but the arrangement of furniture and light sure made it seem like it. The bare walls and vast windows overseeing the lake made the place seem unimaginable.

She had spent a few summers and winters with her family in that place, but that's not what she thought about as she stood before the place that would gain a different meaning after that weekend with Anna. She thought about her mother, how they would spend time together when her father was too busy with business to pay attention to either of them. It would only be them two since her father would not have consented Ygrette to skip school. Elsa knew that this place was where she and her mother had become close. They had developed a relationship that was unlike her and her father's. She also knew Ygrette was jealous of that relationship but there was nothing Elsa could do about it. Ygrette was the older sibling and as such she was expected to be nothing but perfect. The high expectations and the intensity of her work became the cause of her isolation, that is until her mother passed. Elsa had begged her to come visit the place not long after the funeral but Ygrette refused, certain that everything had been Elsa's fault. If the girls had grown apart, they were even more distant now.

"What are you thinking about?" Anna came from behind and poked her side.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"To get you back on earth." She laughed. Then she looked around. "Wow, Elsa. This is beautiful. I thought the outside was great but... the inside. I'm speechless. Why didn't you tell me it would be so.. wow... I can't believe you own this, hell I would just live here if I were you."

Elsa just shrugged and stared at her with amusement on her face.

"I don't really think you're speechless."

"You're right, speechless Anna doesn't exist."

"Let's go get the bags." They both returned to the car and brought everything in, placing it wherever and then sitting on the black couches.

"Ugh, that was exhausting." She extended herself over the couch.

"Anna, that was two bags..."

"Two bags too many."

"I guess I need to make you start working out."

Anna sat up immediately. "What are you talking about? I'm fine."

"Yeah you sure are _fine_. You just need a better condition."

"Did you just call me fine?"

"Well, it's the truth, isn't it?"

Anna couldn't believe what Elsa had just said.

_She probably doesn't mean it that way, calm down._

"By the way, I hope you're a good cook because I'm starving." Elsa continued after realizing Anna wouldn't respond.

"Oh I see how it is. It's your house so I have to cook?"

Elsa giggled. "That's not it. I would cook, but I'm horrible at it."

Anna finally stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I can't believe it, there's something perfect Elsa isn't good at? This is unbelievable."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Hah. No I seriously can't believe it."

"Maybe I should cook you something and make you believe it."

"I'm sure anything you'd make would be great, Els."

"Let's not risk it. I mean, I'd be glad to help if you want me to."

"I could use some help. What are you in the mood for, anyway?"

"Surprise me, it is my birthday after all."

"Well then, I can't have you helping me. Go find something else to do."

"And here I thought I was the bossy one."

"I guess it's rubbing off on me." They both shared a laugh.

"Oh, and Anna?" She said as he was making her way up the stairs. Anna raised her head to look up at her. "Please don't burn the house down." The redhead only squinted her eyes and smiled as she shook her head at her.

* * *

Elsa entered the library; it had been a while since she visited the place. She had completely forgotten about it.

_Finally, __a place where I can think __and be by myself._

And she was right. As she grew older she rarely had time to herself. She had reinvented herself as a new person after her mother had passed. She aimed for perfection and no matter how close she came to it, she never quite got there. That was the thing about perfection though, it was a never ending ambition and it left her no time to know herself. Of course she knew who she was, but she wasn't who she was supposed to be, or who she wanted to be. She had created herself in a way that her father would approve, not a way where she could live on more than satisfaction. Certainly not in a way that she would have liked. But it was too late now, or so she made herself believe. She remembered the time she had tried to change, when she met Carlos, but that didn't end well.

She walked around the room, running her fingers through the endless number of bookshelves and the plethora of books. She could lose herself in that room; spend days and weeks even on the countless number of pages and words.

"Elsaaaa!" Her trip down memory lane was brought to a halt by Anna's yelling. Elsa didn't know why that put a small on her face.

"Coming!" She said as she walked out and gave a last look at the room. She knew she would be spending a lot of time there soon.

"So, what's for dinner?" She sniffed around the kitchen.

"I hope you like Italian."

"I love Italian."

Anna handed Elsa a plate. "Bon appétit!" She propped her elbows on the bar counter and gave Elsa a goofy smile.

"Umm... Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my food I should be aware of?"

"No, no. I just want to know if you like it."

"Anna, anything you'll make I'll like."

She held her hands on her back and shifted nervously.

_Is it me, or is Elsa being nicer than usual? Not nice, but super nice. Oh my god, what if she knows? No she couldn't, she would have said something and I'm pretty sure that's not how she would act._

"Anna?"

"Oh, uh. Yeah?"

"Aren't you having dinner?"

"Oh! Yeah, yeah. Of course." She stuttered.

"You're acting weird. Just like when we were having a meeting at the office." Elsa stopped eating, and stared at Anna as she placed her plate of food on the table. She recalled Anna's behavior at the meeting.

"Umm. No. I mean, what do you mean?"

_Shit, shit. She's thinking, she's going to figure it out._

"I mean, you were nervous or embarrassed or something but-" She stopped as something else occurred to her.

Anna noticed her smile.

_Oh no, she's got something._

"Hey Anna, do I intimidate you?" Amusement on her face.

"What- What makes you think that?" Anna responded and quickly shoved the pasta in her mouth, trying to avoid Elsa's questioning.

"I mean, do you find me intimidating?"

Anna continued chewing.

_I refuse to answer, I refuse._

_Oh crap, what have I done? What is she doing?_

Anna saw Elsa leave her seat and walk towards her. She tried to act normal but as the blonde leaned in she found it harder to hide her awkwardness. Elsa bent down to head level and leaned in. Anna felt herself go completely stiff.

_Do something, say something!_

She couldn't, Elsa's smirk prevented her from even thinking a coherent string of words. And her eyes. She had never seen her eyes this close before. They were the prettiest eyes she had seen. If she could get lost in them forever she wouldn't mind. Her heart began to race, she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"You've got tomato sauce all over your mouth." Elsa giggled as she used the napkin to wipe it off. "There you're all set." She gave Anna a final look and returned to her seat.

_No, come back..._

"I guess I wasn't the only one who was starving, judging by how fast you had dinner." They had finished dinner; Elsa placed the plates on the sink.

"Maybe I just wanted to get to dessert."

"There's no des-" Elsa claimed but Anna interrupted her before she could finish.

"Of course there is. I made dessert."

"My, my. This really is a surprise."

"Looks like you underestimated me."

"Well I just thought you couldn't help yourself and had chocolate as you cooked but now I realize why I smell chocolate all over the kitchen. Brownies, I take it?"

"Brownies it is."

"Maybe you shouldn't have made that many."

"Oh, Elsa. You underestimate me yet again."

"Well, I'm too full right now but you better not eat mine!"

"I'll try not to, I promise." Anna smiled innocently.

"Shall I show you to your room?"

"And here I thought I was going to sleep on the couch."

"Hmm. Maybe I should make you sleep on the couch..."

"Don't you dare!"

"Come, follow me."

"Yes, boss." She tried to imitate Elsa as best she could, earning a smile from the blonde.

* * *

Anna ended up exhausted after the trip and the exploring Elsa had her do around the house. She didn't think she'd get this tired but the house was bigger than she expected. Corridors led to other corridors which led to rooms that led to other rooms, it was almost infinite but she was glad Elsa had lastly shown her the bathroom and her room.

She couldn't wait to hop into the hot shower and then lay in bed. She would finally experience heaven. The idea seemed even more pleasant after realizing that Elsa probably wouldn't wake her up early. They were on a getaway, after all.

She looked for her phone and her charger, only realizing she had been ignoring it all day. The countless number of photos she had taken during the house tour almost drained her battery.

_Hmm, might as well share these on Facebook. They'll finally see I have a life!_

The sight of the king size bed seemed more tantalizing then her curiosity to check her news-feed, and so she got into bed thinking about the day's events. She wished she had planned something better for Elsa. If she wasn't big for celebrations it must be because she never really had a real celebration, or that was what Anna thought. But it was too late now, she'd have to get her something special when they got back to campus and their normal lives.

Even if she didn't want to, which she did, Anna's night consisted mostly about Elsa thoughts. Mainly a great deal about the question she asked during dinner. She was sure Elsa wasn't intimidating, not in a scary way at least. She had a certain attraction about her. She was a magnet, just like Kristoff had said. She was a magnet and they were opposites. That thought scared Anna the most because that would either make her the happiest person on earth, or that would ruin her.

After so much thinking her body was finally drifting off to sleep. She would have fallen asleep then and there had it not been for someone calling her that late.

"Uh, yeah? Hello?" She answered, not bothering to look up at the caller.

"Hey, Anna." It was Carlos' rusty voice again.

"Carlos? Why are you calling me this late?"

"I need to see you. I know you're with Elsa."

"How? How do you know?"

"Facebook. But that doesn't matter. I just need to see you."

"Carlos, I can't. Why do you need to see me?"

"Because you're spending too much time around Elsa! Anna, don't you see it? She's turning you against me!" Anna could tell he was clearly drunk.

"You don't know what you're saying. Let me be clear, I don't see anything happening between you and I-"

"No, Anna! Listen to me, I can change your mind. Just get away from her!"

"Carlos, you clearly had too much to drink. I'm calling Ygrette, don't call me anymore. I'm turning off my phone."

"Anna, wait-" She didn't hesitate, she hanged up as fast as she could. Calling Ygrette wouldn't be a good idea, so she decided to text her instead before shutting off her phone.

_Well, great. Now I can't sleep._

She looked at the clock. _Wow, 1 AM already?_

Deciding it would be impossible to go to sleep soon, she made up her mind to go downstairs and make some hot chocolate.

The house was much quieter than before. She wondered how long it had been empty for, or if any other Arendelles visited often. Her capacity to think was stopped as she turned the corner towards the stairs. Someone was downstairs; one of the lamps in the living room was on. She made her way down as quietly as she could. Her tense shoulders relaxed as she recognized the blonde hair from the last few steps. Elsa was reading a book.

"I didn't know you were awake." She said quietly, almost a whisper. She didn't want to alarm Elsa.

"And I didn't know you were."

"I came to get some hot chocolate. I couldn't sleep."

"Won't that make it worse though?"

"It'll make me feel better. I don't care about sleep."

"Not even if I wake you up at 6?"

Anna pouted and Elsa continued. "I'm kidding!"

"Good. Do you want some hot chocolate?"

"Why not?"

"So what are you reading?" Anna asked her and she sat down next to her and handed her a mug.

"Do you really want to know?" Elsa closed her book and placed it on the coffee table.

"Honestly, I just want to talk."

"Let's talk then. What's the real reason you're up this late?"

"Carlos called."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He insisted on seeing me. He was obviously drunk."

"You didn't tell him you were here, did you? I don't want him showing up."

"No, but he knows I'm with you. He even got mad."

"Doesn't surprise me."

"So are you going to tell me about him finally?"

Elsa thought about it. Was she ready to tell her? Initially she only befriended Anna to shield her but now things were different. She felt they had a genuine friendship and she could trust her. She had already seen her at her worst; it wouldn't hurt to tell her the truth.

"Carlos... He's not who you think he is-" She stopped to think of the correct way to explain it to Anna. "-He did things to me that are hard for me to share but I know you now, and I know you understand."

Elsa told her everything. She finally felt free. She could have told her since the beginning, when she hated her and things would have been much different. But it didn't matter because she had told her now and Anna understood. She cared and she was concerned, not because of what he could do to her but what he had done to Elsa. How he had emotionally scarred her to this day. They had been so busy talking they failed to keep track of time, falling asleep and not bothering to go to bed. They leaned against each other, too sleepy to notice. Anna on Elsa's shoulder and the blonde leaned back on the couch. It was a view they wouldn't be aware of until the light coming in through the vast windows would wake them up.

* * *

**AN:** Late update, I know. You guys should blame my calc final for giving me less time to write, haha.

Anyway, we're finally on chapter 10! And the number of followers keeps growing, I can't believe it. Thank you guys so much! You honestly don't know how much this means to me, cheers to you!

The fic will finally begin to pick up. You know the definition of a true Elsanna moment? Well, you'll see them soon and prepare for angst.

Shout out to one of my Guests, he/she left a review about a possible plot twist. I have to admit, it's a good idea making Elsa's boyfriend actually a girlfriend and then have her be Samantha. I feel like that would also be a cruel move but seriously, great idea! I actually considered it for a second, ha.

I think that's all I need to keep you guys updated on, not sure though :s


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Elsa felt a warm sensation about her before she was fully brought back to consciousness. She contemplated going back to sleep but the idea was dismissed as she realized where she was sleeping, and with whom she was sleeping. She opened her eyes and put a face on the pressure she felt on her shoulder. Anna.

_Well this is a first. _

Elsa had always been the person to avoid physical contact at all costs. Ever since she was little, she remembered she always hated when people showed affection towards her in the means of hugs, pats on the back, and even kisses. And as she sat there with Anna lying next to her, the redhead's hair all over her shoulder, she wondered why that didn't bother her.

Anna was something else. Something else entirely. Elsa could finally aspire to be the person she wished she could be around her. It was just as if Elsa's comfort zone was nonexistent when Anna was around. That moment was the first moment in her entire life that she felt completely comfortable, worry free and like she finally had someone behind her who could support her.

It finally hit her. Ever since her mother died she had been looking for affection and no one had been willing to give that to her. Not her father, not Ygrette and certainly not Carlos. She believed Ian could finally give that to her but she was wrong. And here was Anna, stubborn Anna who would never give up on her. Anna had given her what no one else had been able to give her in just a few short weeks. Anna was like a sister to her, a sister she always longed for.

A loud ring followed by a vibration suddenly filled the air in the room. Elsa stretched in order to reach her phone on the back of her pocket and inevitably caused Anna to wake.

Anna sat up and looked around the room, although unable to open her eyes. "Who- What's happening?" She said almost unable to recognize where she was.

"Sorry," Elsa murmured as she picked up the call. "Gotta take this-"

"Speak." She demanded annoyingly.

"We need to talk."

"No we don't. I've told you everything I needed to tell you."

"You haven't given me a chance to fully explain myself, Elsa."

"Look Ian, there's no going back after doing what you did." Ian's name put Anna on alert mode.

"I get it if you don't forgive me, but the least you could do is give me a chance to make it up to you. If I don't then, fine, I'll leave you alone."

"Why don't you just live me alone now?"

"Because.. It doesn't matter. Just one more chance. I'm not even asking you to get back with me I'm just asking for a chance to explain myself."

"I said NO." Elsa hanged up. Anna was amazed at how cold Elsa could be. Sure she had experienced some of that herself but this coldness was something she had never seen before, she couldn't even imagine it. No wonder a lot of people thought Elsa was a bitch, but Anna knew better than that; Elsa was one of the nicest persons she had gotten to know or maybe she had just fallen under her spell.

"What was that all about?" Anna yawned.

"He won't leave me alone."

"Then I think I shouldn't be the only one to shut off my phone." She took Elsa's phone away from her, too quickly for Elsa to even guess she would do that.

"There we go, much better."

Elsa only stared at her and smiled.

"I can't believe we fell asleep here-" Anna blushed at her realization. "What time is it anyway?"

"Late. It's almost ten."

"You mean early?"

"Yeah, yeah. Come let's find something to eat." Elsa grabbed her arm and dragged her to the kitchen. The short girl sat on the bar stool while Elsa handed her a bowl.

"Let me guess, chocolate puffs right?"

"You know me too well." Anna grabbed the cereal box from her as Elsa searched for milk on the fridge. Anna couldn't stop staring at her.

"You seem different, more relaxed." She told the blonde.

"Do I?"

"Yes, quite a lot."

"I guess I really needed this."

They both sat opposite each other.

"So, Anna-" The redhead tensed up recalling the last question Elsa had asked her and what followed after that. "Have I made it up to you yet?"

Anna smiled and thought about it. "Hmm. Well, there's one last thing you could do."

"What's that?"

"I might need some help with calculus later on."

"Deal."

* * *

After two hours of talking and sharing stories, mostly from Anna who seemed to have a lot of embarrassing ones, the girls went up to one of the master rooms. Upon Anna's insistence on making Elsa share her stories, the blonde decided that instead she would just show her.

"Pictures are worth a thousand words, right?" She had said and Anna's face light up with excitement.

As both girls entered the room, Anna noticed it had not been used in a while. White sheets covered everything around the adorned space, the dresser, the coffee table, the arm chairs. Everything except the bed. Anna figured the room probably belonged to her parents. She wanted to ask about it, but the way Elsa's face and mood changed as they entered the room, she decided she wouldn't.

"Sorry, I should have probably tidied up a bit before inviting you in here." Said the blonde apologetically.

"Oh, no worries. It's fine."

"I'd invite you to look around as I go in here and look for the photo albums but as you can see, there's not much to see." Elsa was standing under the threshold between one of the doors, that apparently led to a closet, and the room itself. The words obviously hurt her and Anna could see it.

"I'm sure you won't take long, I can wait." She gave Elsa a reassuring smile.

Elsa returned quickly, with two albums on her arms. Anna was already sitting, crossed legs, on the floor, Elsa did the same.

"Excited much?" Elsa said as she saw Anna rub her palms.

"Can't you tell?"

As they both went through the photos, Anna was surprised to see another part of Elsa she thought she would never see at all. The Elsa she knew now was a completely different person from the child she saw in the pictures. Photos of her childhood depicted happiness and freedom whereas now she knew Elsa felt compelled to be more in control of her emotions and everything around her.

In Anna's eyes, Elsa had the perfect childhood. As she flipped the pages, she spotted pictures of Elsa in a ballet, Elsa in a theater, Elsa riding a pony, Elsa playing in the snow and most importantly, Elsa not having a care in the world but her own happiness. Then there were the pictures she shared with Ygrette. Even as kids, it seemed to Anna, they probably didn't feel like they shared a relationship, much less the sister kind. They looked like strangers posing together for the sake of the photo, but that was it. Anna wanted to ask if she had any pictures of her parents but as she opened her mouth to say something she found one. A brown-haired woman reaching down to hug Elsa. The resemblance was there, they looked almost the same, save for the hair. Anna looked at Elsa now and she was just like her mother.

_Why is she sad?_

Anna's heart sank as she saw Elsa's reaction to the photo she was holding.

"Is something wrong, Els?"

Elsa closed her eyes, not wanting to speak. Anna wondered if she would actually say something at all because she remained like that for a while.

"I- I'm going downstairs. There's something I need to do, I'll see you later? Feel free to look around." She stood up quickly, a nervous smile on her face, rushing as if she would never make it out of the room.

_What was that all about?_

Anna wanted to keep looking, but it didn't feel right. Elsa did say to look around but somehow she felt like she was invading her privacy, like she didn't have a right to. Clearly there was something that bothered Elsa.

_No, it didn't bother her. It hurt her._

She placed the albums on the bed, deciding there would be no better place to put them since she did not know where they belonged. Her unfamiliarity with the house left her with not much to entertain herself so she decided on a shower instead, hoping that it would clear things up.

Contrary to what she believed, a shower was a bad idea. She had more time to think, or rather to overthink things. She started to question the getaway as a good idea. Sure, Elsa needed a distraction but her? Anna knew she would only fall for Elsa even more by agreeing to come with her. Ultimately, she also knew that Elsa wasn't going to reciprocate which only made matters worse. Elsa would be the cause of her downfall. She could put a stop to it, she could distance herself rom Elsa if she so wanted to. But that was the thing, she didn't want to. She only wanted more and more and no matter how many times her brain told her to stop, Elsa would just keep coming in for more. She probably didn't intend to, maybe she wasn't even aware of the effect she had on Anna and that was what hurt her the most. She couldn't come out and say how she really felt about Elsa, it would ruin what they had built against all odds.

And that's why this trip seemed like a bad idea, a bad idea that Anna needed to stop. She had to talk to Elsa and convince her that they go back to campus before things got worse. She needed to be around other people, other things that would get her mind off the blonde. She hopped out of the shower, quickly ran a towel over her hair and put on a pair of shorts and a tank top, the nearest clothes she could find in the mess she called a bag. She didn't know where Elsa would be, but she had to find her. She had to look in every room and find her, demand that they leave today.

She exited her room, looked around as if somehow that would help her decide where to look for Elsa in the spur of the moment. She didn't have to though, she heard the girl's voice downstairs.

_But why is she screaming?_

She ran down the stairs, Elsa seemed to be in a serious argument with someone. When she had a clear view of the first floor she noticed Elsa was having an argument with someone at the door. She didn't have to think about it twice, she walked and stood next to her.

"I thought I made myself clear. I need you to leave me alone. I don't want to hear about you." Elsa almost begged.

"Elsa, please. It was a mistake. I just needed someone with you being busy all the time-" It was Ian. Anna didn't have to get to know him well to decide she hated him then and there.

"And who's this?" He finally noticed Anna.

"That doesn't concern you. You need to leave."

"I'm not leaving."

"Now!"

"Elsa! I'm not going anywhere! Not until you give me another chance."

"And what good would that do, Ian? Tell me."

"It wouldn't hurt, you'll be convinced to get back with me. You just need to listen."

Everything went quiet. Anna felt anger within Elsa's reluctance to answer a sign that she was willing to give him another chance?

"I can't." Elsa finally said, Anna came closer and placed a hand on the blonde's back.

"You have to." Ian persisted.

"I don't have to do anything."

"Give me a reason why you can't give me a chance."

Elsa hesitated on her response once again. It seemed like every time she did it, Anna died from suspense. _Why is she taking too long to come up with an answer?_

"C'mon, Elsa."

Anna was infuriated by that point. Ian needed to go away, he needed to leave Elsa alone. How could he come here and insist that she go back to him after he cheated? He had no right, he at least needed to respect Elsa's decision and give her some space. How did he even get here? How did he know Elsa was there?

Anna's brain began processing thoughts faster than she could manage. She was too busy thinking about what to do with Ian that she didn't see Elsa's hand reach for her chin. The blonde girl turned Anna's face towards hers, she leaned in and angled her head. Anna felt she had finally died when Elsa went in for the kiss. She had died and came back to life when she felt Elsa's soft lips on hers again. For the first time in forever her thoughts were blank, all she knew was that she wanted more; she wanted Elsa. She had wanted Elsa for a while and she finally had her. Or did she?

Elsa pulled away and turned to Ian. Anna was speechless, she couldn't even remember why she even hated Ian so much, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

"There's your reason. That's why I can't be with you. I'm with someone else." Elsa smiled at Ian confidently as she said that. Anna couldn't decide what was more unbelievable, the fact that Elsa had kissed her or the fact that Ian finally understood.

Ian stepped back and Elsa could finally shut the door. She leaned against it as she did, sighing and sporting a smile. Quickly, she realized Anna was standing in front of her, staring in fact. Anna was speechless, unaware of what happened.

"Anna, I'm so sorry-" she quickly began. "I didn't mean to get you involved in this. I just... I just didn't see another way to go about it. I understand if that might have offended you but please know that I didn't mean it in anyway, I just. I just wanted him to leave." She narrowed her eyes as she said that, expecting, hoping that Anna would understand.

_Oh._ Was all Anna could think of. She retreated to seat on the couch. Even if she wanted to say something, she didn't couldn't think of anything. Elsa remained standing, too guilty to approach her and failing to understand Anna's true feelings.

"Anna." She took a step forward.

"Anna, say something please!"

_Anna, she's scared. Answer her! __Say something!_

The redhead finally mustered enough courage to speak. "I'm just a bit shocked, Elsa. You don't need to apologize."

No more words needed to be said. In fact, no words were exchanged between the two for the rest of the day. Elsa, too afraid Anna might reconsider their relationship and Anna, afraid that she would be unable to stop what she felt for Elsa. Neither of them knew what awaited, they had one more day before they returned to campus. Anna couldn't wait, and she couldn't stop thinking. It would be another sleepless night.

* * *

**AN:** I expected this chapter to be longer but I decided that what comes next should be in a separate chapter. I feel kind of bad for Anna though, Elsa doesn't know :(

We'll also be peeking into Elsa's head a bit more.

Enjoy!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

The clock read 6:00AM. There were fifteen hours left before they headed back to campus.

_How could I been so stupid? Why did I have to kiss her? I could have come up with another excuse __but instead I had to kiss her. Now she probably hates me!_

Elsa shifted in her bed. She had repeated the same words to herself throughout most of the night. The sun would be rising soon which meant she would have to get up. Under normal circumstances, she would have wanted nothing more. After all, waking up at six was part of her normal habitat. This was something different, for her at least. How would she deal with Anna? How would she talk to her throughout the day and along the drive? She couldn't live with her knowing that Anna probably hated her for that kiss. She had to take action; she had to bring everything back to normal. Perhaps if she acted as if nothing happened then Anna would as well. Or maybe she had forgotten about it altogether. Regardless, she needed to fix it.

A smile light up her face as an idea crossed her head. After deciding that she better go through with it before Anna woke up, she looked for paper and a pen, thinking carefully about the words she had to say.

* * *

Anna was now pacing around the room; she couldn't sleep, not even if her body desperately wanted to. How would she act around Elsa from now on without thinking about her lips every time she saw her? Would she act like an idiot?

_You have to get yourself together, Anna! You can do this! Remember this is the girl you didn't even like in the first place._

Her last thought made her happy. So much had happened between her and Elsa. When she first met her at North Aim, and later when she found out she was her roommate, she never thought she'd end up being here with her. She had fallen for the girl she hated. What a cruel world. But Anna didn't find it cruel at all. She liked the feelings she had for Elsa, that attraction kept her going. She did not like, however, the fact that Elsa would not know about it and even if she did, she would never feel the same way.

Her steps and thoughts were interrupted by a noise, causing her to jerk her body backwards. She approached out of curiosity and picked up the paper Elsa slid under her door.

_Elsa._

She held the paper before her. She couldn't bring herself to read it immediately.

_Damn, she has a way of getting what she wants._

_And another note, how cute._

She opened the folded piece of paper, recognizing Elsa's handwriting immediately.

_I'm so sorry Anna. _

_I promise I'll make it up to you, again._

_**-Elsa**_

Anna didn't understand what Elsa needed to be sorry for, after all, the kiss had been all Anna wanted and more.

_I can't tell her the truth. I have to play along._

She turned on her phone, thinking of the words she would say to Elsa.

Anna:_Looks like history repeats itself._

The response took longer than expected; Anna wanted to believe Elsa didn't know what to say and then remembered her phone was probably still off.

_Crap._

She looked for a pen until she finally found one and wrote on the reverse side of the paper.

_What do you have in mind?_

_P.S. Turn on your phone._

_**-Anna**_

She practically ran to the other end of the hallway, almost sliding on the wooden floor. Knocking would not be a good idea considering, so she slid the note and ran back to her room. She sat on the edge of the bed, palms on her forehead. The situation she was currently in made her laugh. This could probably be the least of her worries yet here she was, more nervous than ever. She grabbed her phone and looked at Elsa's response.

Elsa:_I didn't think you'd be up this early._

Anna:_I guess I'm getting used to it._

Of course that was a lie, the only reason she was up was her inability to stop thinking about the previous day's events.

Elsa: _Can we talk about yesterday? I feel really bad about it._

Anna: _You shouldn't. I completely forgot about it. Until now, of course._

Elsa: _Does that mean I don't have to make it up to you then?_

Anna: _I still think you should ;D_

Elsa: _Then it's my turn to surprise you._

Anna:_I can't wait :)_

* * *

The tension between the girls disappeared during breakfast. Initially, neither knew what to say to the other, face to face conversation was something entirely different.

"Good morning." Elsa said as Anna walked into the kitchen. She knew she had to be the one to break the ice, things were what they were because of her, after all.

"Morning," rubbing her eyes, the redhead also had to play her part. "What's that wonderful smell?"

"Take a guess?"

"Kristoff taught you too well."

There was a pause and then Elsa replied. "Wait, how did you know I talked to Kristoff?"

Anna shifted her eyes nervously. "Umm... Well I practically had to force it out of him. Hehe."

"Hmm, so you talked about me." She crossed her arms across her chest.

"Don't worry, nothing bad."

"I know you wouldn't, I'm just messing with you." Elsa started laughing as she saw the look of worry on Anna's face.

"Elsa!"

"What? It's funny."

_If only I could make you laugh like that all the time._

"I wish you could." Elsa's response startled Anna.

_Oh shit, did I just say that out loud?_

"Anna, are you blushing?" Elsa was clearly having too much fun.

Anna couldn't bring herself to look up.

"Let's eat, shall we?" The redhead had to chance the subject so she walked passed Elsa and grabbed a mug.

"I see what you're doing." Elsa continued, the widest smile on her face.

"Eating?" _Divert course, divert course._

"Have it your way, but there'll be a day when you won't get away with avoiding my questions." Elsa surrendered with a smirk on her face; she knew she didn't lose considering Anna was still blushing.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said as she chewed a piece of toast, Elsa found it adorable.

"Fine, let's change the subject, miss-i-don't-know-what's-going-on," Elsa was clearly mocking her and Anna gave her a judgmental look. "We could watch a movie after this and have a picnic by the lake later, what do you think?"

"Looks like you've given this some thought and planned it out."

"Well, I did say I was going to make it up to you. I intend on keeping my word."

"Sounds wonderful." She smiled and that was the end of that.

* * *

"I can't believe you made me watch that movie." Elsa stared down at Anna who had her head on the blonde's lap.

"I can't believe you had never seen it before, it's 'classic'."

"Don't get me wrong, I liked it but it's very unrealistic. How did she suddenly realize she loved Josh?"

"Well, she couldn't see him with someone else, even if it was Tai."

"Yeah, but... She didn't even like him in the beginning. She seemed annoyed by him."

"You know? Someone once told me that the only thing worse than the person you hate is the person you like."

"I don't think that's how it's supposed to work though."

"How do you think it works, Els?"

"Well, I think you know you love someone when you want to spend a lot of time with them, not when you realize they are spending too much time with someone else. That's jealousy, in my opinion, and egocentric of them."

"Hmm. I never thought about it that way."

"Everything we do is selfish if you really think about it."

"Give me an example." Anna insisted. She had never had a conversation like this with anyone before. Elsa was something else.

"Let's say you do something really nice for someone. Now are you doing it because the other person needs it or because you feel good about doing it? You know what I mean? It's more for self-benefit than anything else. Our consciousness is a selfish thing." Elsa's mindset got Anna thinking.

"Interesting theory, but what about love?"

Elsa thought about it before responding.

"I think it's the same way. You see, when you're in love you want to make the other person happy and you want to make them love you so they can be with you. You do it because you like the feeling it gives you. The question is, what's the main reason for doing it, because they make you feel good or because you love them?"

"That's... Something I'll be thinking about for a while. I never saw it that way but I guess you're right."

"Well, it's just my opinion. That might not be the way things actually work." She shrugged.

"So, let me get this straight. If you view love as a selfish thing, how do you do it? How did you go through it with Carlos and Ian and everyone else you loved?"

"I'm a selfish person, Anna. It's as simple as that."

"You're not!"

"I am, believe me. Everything I've done I've done it for my own benefit."

"I'll make it my life's mission to prove you wrong."

"Impossible."

"We'll see." Anna yawned; the sleepless night was finally getting the best of her.

"You better not fall asleep on me."

"Oh, please. It's your fault anyhow for making me wake up so early every day."

"Right. Let's go by the lake. We should be leaving in a few hours."

It was weird for Anna to think that any other place existed. The weekend with Elsa has been amazing, it had its ups and downs but it was amazing nonetheless. They had only spent about two days in that place but it seemed like a life time. She had completely forgotten about anything that existed before then and did not worry about what would happen in the future. But soon they'd have to go back to reality, and she dreaded that.

The walk to the lake wasn't long at all, considering it was still visible through the house's windows. They settled under a shade of trees, atop a small hill overlooking the lake. "This is breathtaking." Anna said as she stopped and stared before the lake.

"It is something, isn't it?"

"You must have loved coming here when you were a child."

"I guess. I took it for granted most of the time."

They both sat after Elsa placed the blanket on the grass. Anna leaned back on her arms and stretched out her legs. "This has been really nice, Elsa. I'm glad I had the chance to spend the weekend with you."

"I'm glad. You're welcome to come here anytime you want."

"I doubt I'll have enough time for that in the near future. So this was really necessary."

"Look at us, we're not even half way done with the semester and we already need a break."

"I don't know about you but it's been quite stressful."

"Are you kidding? Stressed is my middle name."

"You do have too much on your plate."

"Hmm. I don't see it that way."

"Overachiever much?"

"I guess I just like to keep busy."

"Ha. Yeah, I bet you're thinking about work right now."

"Since when do you read minds?"

"C'mon Elsa, relax a little. Clear your mind. Stop thinking about work every once in a while."

"It's inevitable sometimes... Well, most of the time."

"You just need to let it go."

"What are you doing?" Elsa asked as Anna kneeled behind her and pushed her blonde, long hair to one side. Elsa stiffened, not sure of what Anna would do.

"Just giving you a massage."

"Is this really necessary?"

"Shh. Don't argue, just relax."

"Fine."

Neither of them said a thing, and it seemed to have helped since Elsa felt much more relaxed, as if she was drifting into another dimension. Anna clearly knew what she was doing. Who would have thought that she could make her feel like that? She seemed like a natural. She knew when to apply pressure and when to stop. She knew exactly which spots were her weaknesses. Anna was confident of what she was doing. Little did she know, Anna was almost dying inside.

Elsa's skin was cool even though it was warm outside. That only made her keep wanting to rub her hands on the girl's upper back and her neck. Her skin was so soft; it felt right on Anna's skin. She felt like she needed to explore other areas, but she couldn't. She was lucky enough to be touching her at all right now.

_Damn it, Anna. Control yourself! You are more strong-willed than you think!_

She lied to herself, she couldn't stop. Why would she stop? Why should she stop? She was enjoying it, and she was sure Elsa was enjoying it too. She wasn't complaining, so she must be doing something right. She felt like all that she had done in life led up to this moment and nothing else mattered. Not the problems she had back home, not the work she had to deal with, not Elsa not knowing about her feelings. It didn't matter. Sooner or later she would find out, so why did she keep stopping herself from letting it out? Her feelings would only grow stronger and eventually she would erupt. Unconsciously, she ran her hand across Elsa's back, softly rubbing her fingers from shoulder to shoulder. She was brought back to reality when she felt Elsa shiver. She seemed so relaxed, she had never seen her before like this. Elsa had let go, her walls were down. Anna couldn't stop staring at her. Her eyes ran over Elsa's figure. She stared at her back, her neck, her lips and her jaw. She had to stop, Elsa's defined jaw line was calling her name. But just like anything else that had to do with Elsa, she couldn't.

She couldn't stop herself. She couldn't even think about stopping before she placed her lips on the back of the blonde's neck. She did it slowly, almost afraid that Elsa would notice. Once she did, she didn't care, she wanted more, she needed more. She pressed her lips harder as she moved to the front side, slowly but a bit faster. Elsa's skin felt good, really good. Fear ran through her body as Elsa lifted her head. "Anna..." She said, so quiet, barely a whisper.

Anna didn't respond, not verbally at least. Her hand went seeking for the blonde's chin and her lips haunted for hers. If she liked the feel of Elsa's skin, she liked her lips even more. This kiss was nothing compared to the first one, this one was more passionate. The mood was perfect, Elsa was perfect, she was reciprocating.

"Anna... Stop..."

_What?_

Anna pulled away, although only a few inches away from her face.

"What- What are you doing?"

It was clear that Anna didn't know what to say. She was confused, how did this all start? Why did she do it?

"Elsa- I'm... I'm sorry but..."

Elsa distanced herself. She was looking at Anna with disbelief and that scared the shorter girl. What had she done?

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Elsa's tone was accusatory.

Anna's eyes shifted, how would she even begin to explain herself? "Anna, say something!"

"I can't. I don't- I don't know how." Her eyes were getting teary.

Elsa sat there, thinking for a while. Unable to believe what had occurred.

"It all makes sense... Of course. How did I not see it earlier?"

"Elsa, no. Stop!"

"How long have you been feeling this way, Anna?" Elsa was half screaming.

Anna couldn't reply. If she told her the truth that would just set her thinking and she just couldn't find out.

"Anna, I swear to god you better answer me!" Anna could have sworn she was seeing the worst of Elsa.

"Please, Elsa. Just stop, alright?" Anna was in the verge of crying.

"Stop? ME, STOP? You! Anna, YOU need to stop. Stop whatever this is."

"I'm sorry, Elsa. I really am."

"I can't believe this is happening. What made you think- You know what? Forget it. This is done with. I'm heading back into the house. I expect you to be ready in thirty minutes. We're going back. This never happened and I doubt anything will happened from now on. I mean it, Anna. Anything."

The way Elsa emphasized the word 'anything' broke Anna's heart more than the rejection she had received. She had gone from glory to hell in a matter of seconds. Nothing would be the same ever again. She would lose her friendship, she knew it. She had known that before anything else. She had known that maybe even before she knew she had fallen for Elsa. She finally broke down as the blonde made her way back through the path they had taken initially. She cried like she had never cried before.

_How could I have been so stupid?_

* * *

**AN:** I apologize in advance for any broken hearts. Things will get better, just not now so I'm sorry!

Anyone know what movie they were watching?

Let me know what you guys think of this chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

As hard as Anna tried to speak to Elsa on the way home, it was futile. Elsa didn't say a word; it was just as if she had completely ignored her existence. It did make sense though; Elsa made it clear that nothing would happen between the two. The drive back home was one of the hardest things Anna had ever endured. After realizing that Elsa wouldn't give her a word, Anna was forced to look through the window for most of the ride. She gave Elsa a few glances every once in a while but she could tell that it made Elsa uncomfortable. Her face showed no emotion but Anna knew she was angry. The voices on the radio didn't make it any better.

The short drive was eternal, but they finally made it into the dorm room. Neither of them spoke about it, but they both knew that it would be hard living that way. Anna left as soon as she had entered, only after leaving her belongings on her side of the room. Giving Elsa some time to reconsider things and realize that it wasn't such a big deal might calm things down. For all she cared she could just be friend-zoned and she wouldn't mind one bit, as long as Elsa didn't shut her out.

She met up with Kristoff after convincing him not to bring Ygrette, things were bad as they were and she really needed to let it all out.

"I've been texting you the whole weekend and no word from you-" He said as soon as he spotted her. Anna was sitting at a small table, a tea in hand. "-Anna... You never drink tea, what's wrong?"

Anna didn't want to say anything until he sat, no one else needed to hear her predicament, so she took a sip until he did.

"You're worrying me. Is it Samantha again?"

_Samantha._It had been a while since she thought about Samantha, that was progress but unfortunately at an expense.

"No. It's worse this time." She said quietly.

"Are you going to tell me or what?" Kristoff was impatient.

"Elsa. She- Uh. She found out."

Kristoff stared at her, not knowing what to say. "Oh, man." He got closer as he leaned in on the table. "Did she take it bad?"

"Really bad."

"Well, how did she find out?"

Anna looked down at her cup of tea as she said it. "I kissed her."

Kristoff gasped, he couldn't believe it. "Well that definitely is a way to declare your love for someone."

"Correction, declare your like for someone."

"Yeah, yeah. But what did she say? Or how did it happened? How did you decide it was time to confess?"

"I didn't, my feelings did." She took another sip and continued. "We were both spending the weekend at her dad's country house. It was all great, you know? We were having fun and we shared this connection we never had before. She was very different from the Elsa you know."

"Well, something bad must have happened." He added.

"I wouldn't say bad, but interesting to say the least. That Friday we left, Carlos called me asking me to stay away from her for some weird reason. I find it shady to be honest."

"Do- do you think Ygrette has something to do with it?"

"I didn't say that, Kristoff. But honestly, you never know. Anyway that's not where I'm getting at. I turned off my phone so he wouldn't contact me, which explains why I couldn't respond to you either. On Saturday, she got upset over some family pictures she showed me, I think there's something she's hiding. Clearly, she doesn't want everyone to know and it hurts her."

"So, maybe that's the reason she acted the way she did?"

"Maybe. But, it gets even more interesting."

"How so?"

"Well... One of the reasons we spent the weekend there was because she needed to get away from her ex... He showed up later that day, and they were both arguing. I had no idea what was going on so I approached them. Long story short, he wanted her to get back with him but Elsa refused. Except he wouldn't listen, he kept insisting and insisting so she kissed me-"

"She what?!"

Anna remained quiet, only now barely thinking of what actually happened. Elsa had kissed her first, not the other way around. Unfortunately she did it for the wrong reasons.

"She wanted to make Ian go away so she kissed me and made up some story."

"That's not fair! She has no right to be mad!"

"Well she wanted to get her point across with Ian-"

"Still, I mean you didn't go off on her when she kissed you, right? So why did she react that way?"

"I don't know, Kristoff. It's still all very confusing. I haven't even had time to rethink everything that happened and it's getting late. I probably should head back to my hell of a place."

"Well, I'd offer you to sleep over by my roommate would probably mind."

"No, it's fine. I have to deal with her sooner or later anyway, right?"

Kristoff remained silent. "Anna-" He paused, waiting for her to look at him. "When was the last time someone told you you can't do something?" And with that he stood up and left, not giving Anna a chance to respond, mainly because that only made her think.

And she was right, she thought as she walked back to her dorm. But could she force someone to like her? No. That was the bigger issue. She recalled the events from earlier that day, she felt her heart sank every time she tried to revisit the topic, but she had to. She had to understand somehow; she had to understand what she did, why she did it and most importantly, she had to understand Elsa's reaction. She stood by the door for a few minutes; her heart was split in half. She wanted to go in and see Elsa but at the same time she wanted to avoid her. The minutes passed by, could she avoid Elsa at all? She leaned against the door, sighing.

_If only things could go back to normal. I don't care if she doesn't feel that way about me but at least I get to have her in my life._

It was easier said than done, like most things. She wished she could go back to Friday, or before any of this happened. Even before she liked her. But did she really want that?

No. She liked what she felt for Elsa, she liked the feeling it gave her, even if it hurt her. Her life was different because of her, her life was better.

"I'm not a stalker!" She said as someone walked by and stared at her suspiciously. Her side was leaning on the door now, her ear against the wall.

_Ugh. What do I do?_

She closed her eyes as if by some miracle the answer would come to her and she could solve the problem immediately. But it didn't. Instead she lost her balance as the door was opened, luckily she retained herself from falling into the floor. "Do you plan on sleeping outside?" It was Elsa. Clearly it was a rhetorical question but the way she said it made Anna feel inferior. Maybe that's the way she meant it.

The blonde turned her back and walked away, leaving the door ajar and then forgetting about Anna, or she made it seem that way. "How- how'd you know I was there?" She said it almost as a whisper and entered the room quietly.

_Well this is new. Am I... Am I __afraid of her?_

She was indeed afraid. Not of Elsa, per se, but rather another rejection. Most of all, she was afraid of Elsa shutting her out permanently.

"So-Sorry. That's a stupid question." She walked towards her bed as she looked around nervously. She desperately wanted to know what Elsa was doing, but what if she was staring back? What if she caught Anna staring at her? She finally sat on the edge of her bed.

_Make things normal. Make a conversation! Maybe she'll forget about what happened..._

"So are you ready for tomorrow?" Anna chuckled nervously at the end of her question.

A few seconds passed before there was an answer. "Yes." It was a simple yes. A 'yes' to end all conversation. To anyone else it would seem like a cue to stop, but to Anna it seemed like hate, like a shard of ice aimed towards her heart. It meant Elsa didn't want to know anything more about her, she would want the smallest interaction possible. Ironic how a small word with a positive meaning could have a negative connotation. But maybe it was just all in Anna's head. Regardless, she had to change the way Elsa saw her, again. So she had to keep insisting, even if she could feel terrible after it.

"Well, I'm glad. It seems like it will be a long week. We have exams in a few days, so you know what that means? More cramming. Although for you, I doubt that's the case. You could probably take all the tests tomorrow and ace them. I, on the other hand, need a few weeks in advance. I don't understand how people do it. I don't think I'd be able to pull an all-nighter just for exams, you know? Much less memorize so much information in such a short amount of time." She was running out of breath.

_Stop rambling, Anna!_

"Sorry. You probably want to go to sleep now and I'm annoying you."

She finally mustered enough courage to look Elsa's way. She was already in bed, covered in her blankets, the screen of her phone reflecting on her face.

_So much for talking. She's not even paying attention._

Elsa turned around and faced her wall as she felt Anna stare at her. "Night, Anna."

_Welp__, that was cold._

Elsa had only said two things to her ever since they got back. Anna realized she would really need to work hard to convince her that giving her the cold shoulder would be a bad idea. But she couldn't right now. She could feel her eyelids getting heavy. Maybe for the first time in a while she would finally get more than a few hours of sleep. Her body demanded it, even if all she wanted to do was think of a plan to gain Elsa's friendship back. She didn't even bother changing into something more comfortable, she turned off her lamp and headed to sleep.

"Elsa... I'm sorry." The whisper that escaped her mouth was inaudible. Silenced by Elsa's light breathing.

* * *

Anna sat up as soon as Anna regained consciousness that morning.

_Crap, crap, crap. It's probably passed nine. I'm so late._

She looked around her bed for her phone. _Wow, did I really tossed that much? Oh there it is._

_What?! 6AM?_

She gave the other side of the room a quick glance, Elsa was already gone. _Of course._She put her running shoes on unconsciously.

_Damn you Elsa and your habits!_ _And your perfect looks, and your perfect thoughts and your perfect everything!_

The list could go on and on.

As much as she wanted to hate her, she couldn't. It was clearly evident by the smile on her face.

_What if she minds if I also go for a run? _

_Who cares? She's the one who got me into this in the first place!_

The mornings were beginning to turn chilly. Anna regretted wearing short sleeves as she began warming up.

_What if I run into her? It's bound to happen, there's no way she's running away from me! _

She smirked. Anxious with anticipation and unable to remove that thought from her head, she began running slowly around the park Elsa and herself had attended every morning. Only it seemed much bigger this time, and much more lonely. Was it usually this cloudy and dark? _And gloomy?_

She had so much inside of her, she needed to let it out. She had tried, but she couldn't. Maybe she just didn't know how to. She couldn't find the right way to express herself. Her inability turned into anger and it began to heat up as she ran. The longer the strides, the stronger her hatred towards herself. Everything was going so well until she ruined it. Why didn't she just control herself? Why did she think giving Elsa a massage would be a good idea? Why did she even dare touch her? Didn't she think about the consequences? She ran, maybe because she needed it or because she couldn't stop, or maybe she just needed to release everything.

The paths she had come to hate as she ran unwillingly alongside Elsa in the past, turned into escapes right before her eyes. She could lose herself in them, let it all go. Her thoughts stopped flowing as she spotted Elsa running towards her a few meters away.

It was hard to tell whether she was aware of Anna's presence seeing as she gave no reaction. Anna slowed down until she eventually stopped. There she was. That's what she wanted, but now she wasn't so sure.

_What do I do?_

_Keep running dumb ass! She's going to know if you just stand there!_

The view got clearer, and so she began running again. If Elsa couldn't see her before, she was sure she could see her now. They both ran towards each other, although Anna hoped they would do it for other reasons and under different circumstances.

Anna wanted nothing more than to stop and have Elsa stop with her, she wanted to be acknowledged. Elsa's figure became closer and closer. Graceful as ever and with so much finesse, even when she wasn't trying to.

The distanced shortened and while Elsa kept running, Anna panicked. A few feet separated the two. Anna tried hard not to look at her eyes, but she had to. Who cares if she would notice?

She could see Elsa's deep, blue eyes. She could see the sweat that ran down her forehead; she probably had been running since very early in the morning. The way her bangs fell around her face, moving every which way as she took each step, made Anna completely lose herself. She saw what she wanted to see, it was worth it, she didn't regret it. Not even after she felt the concrete on her cheek and felt her hands being scraped.

_Shit! Way to go, Anna. When did you forget how to run?!_

Tripping was something that was no longer unexpected from Anna. What was definitely unexpected was Elsa's willing to help her up. Anna didn't even see her approach, she thought the blonde girl kept running after she hit the ground, but instead she grabbed both her arms and pulled her up. Anna looked down, afraid of what would happen if she looked up. But she did, even though it was useless. Elsa got back on track and continued running. She could say thanks, but Elsa wouldn't hear her.

_Hmm. I don't recall hearing her music that loud, especially from her earphones. __She must really want to avoid me._

She tried to put Elsa's indifference past her. But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered how long Elsa would keep it going for. It had been much less than twenty-four hours and she could already not handle it. She had to do something.

She turned back and now ran towards Elsa's direction. She wasn't sure if she would be able to catch up to her, but she was determined and she needed to talk to her. Enough was enough, she needed to at least release all her anger. She needed Elsa to say something to her, whatever it was, it didn't matter.

She reached her before could think of a plan, in the end it didn't matter as she was never for plans. The first thing that came to her mind was to get Elsa's attention, so she grabbed her upper arm and jerked her back. Elsa looked at her, offended almost, surprised. She pulled her earphones with her free hand, shaking her hand so Anna would let her go. Anna knew better than that, this was the only way Elsa would talk.

"Anna, let me go."

Anna shook her head. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"We both know that's not true."

"Even if it is, I'm not talking to you."

"Do you really want to make a spectacle out here?"

Elsa looked around. Anna was too stubborn and knew her too well. That was the downside of letting people close to you; they got to know your weaknesses.

"Fine," she blinked slowly, not caring. "Meet me back at the dorm in thirty. You'll get what you want but I hope you don't regret it." She pulled her arm from Anna's grasped who just stood there and waited for thirty minutes to pass by.

* * *

**AN:** Not the most exciting chapter, next one will be better though!

Alright, there's a few things let's see.

-Oh! I wanted to know how many of you guys follow me on tumblr? I want to keep you updated if anything comes up but I don't know if you would want that or not.

-We're going to be seeing more of Ygrette and Carlos in the coming chapters, maybe even Samantha so expect that.

-Updating should go smoother as I have officially finished the spring semester! Yay!

-Thanks for all the follows, reviews and favorites! Thank you so much for deciding to stick with this story, it seriously gets me excited every time. Thank you guys!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

By the time Anna made it to the dorm, Elsa had just gotten out of the shower. The punctuality of that woman amazed Anna even when she believed she could no longer be. But then again, she made a mental note that anything Elsa did would amaze her.

Exhaustion took its toll on the redhead's body. Her thighs felt stiff and her ankles weak. Soreness spread from her lower back through her shoulders and her spine. No matter how many mornings she'd go for a run, she knew she would never get used to it. Not to the pain anyway, the habit of running was already imprinted in her brain. It was all a reminder of Elsa. Painful, but a reminder nonetheless.

For the first time since the incident, Elsa was the first to speak as Anna entered the room. Anna could have sworn the blonde read her mind.

"Are you going to make it a habit of following me every morning?"

"It's not my fault you got me in the habit of waking up early and going for a run." Anna quickly searched the room for a place to sit.

Elsa remained silent, her arms folded across her chest. It was the first time in a while since she was left speechless. Anna was right, of that she was guilty of.

Anna stared at her, she bit her lip. The expectation of a response, or a sign, was now stronger than ever.

Elsa opened her mouth, emitting a low sigh before closing it and finally speaking. "So is it my fault, too, that I spent too much time around you? Is it my fault that you feel that way about me?"

Anna was hurt. Elsa was speaking with hatred, something she rarely did. Well, at least for as long as she had known her. The blonde used the same tone on Anna that she used on Ian during the weekend. That was the first thing Anna noticed; the emotion behind it. To make it even worse, she processed the words Elsa said.

Elsa blamed herself, and she spoke of what happened as... An abomination. Clearly the situation was problematic for her, but she couldn't deny that the friendship they had before the incident was beautiful. How could Elsa blame herself? There was no one to blame, things happened for a reason. Although maybe not the best of reasons. As soon as she finished talking, Anna knew that Elsa's tone was an indication of how bad the argument they were having would turn out. But it didn't matter; this might be the only chance she had to clear things up, to fight for Elsa and to at least make her understand.

"It's not your fault, Elsa." Anna said calmly before Elsa quickly retorted.

"Then it's yours."

Anna lowered her head. "That's- that's not how it works. You can't just blame this on someone."

"Oh so now you're saying its destiny?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Please, explain yourself will you?"

Anna thought of all the different ways she could go with this; she could play the aggressive card or she could be understanding but that would be like giving up. "Look, Els-" She was about to clarify before Elsa interrupted.

"Don't call me that." Elsa looked away.

"What? Why?"

Elsa didn't respond. "I can't even talk to you anymore? Is that it? Am I forbidden from even looking at you?"

Elsa refused to respond. What did Anna want to hear? "Yes, Anna! That's it alright? Pretend I don't exist, it'll make my life a whole lot easier."

The fury Anna felt as another rejection was thrown at her changed the course of the way she decided to handle the situation. Sure she could be reasonable and try to understand Elsa's point of view. She could be patient and keep trying, but Elsa refused to give her a reason. Perhaps the worst part was her failure to understand why Elsa felt that way; it wasn't all that bad after all. Her reaction had been overly dramatic, was there another reason behind it?

Anna finally exploded. "So now you're telling me you don't value our friendship at all? You're willing to let it go? To put it in the past?"

"I thought we had a friendship, Anna. You! You, on the other hand, you had some other idea about us. You took advantage of it!" They were both screaming at each other now.

Her conversation with Kristoff quickly came into Anna's head. "What if I hadn't kissed you? Could I have blamed you for kissing me instead? I bet you didn't even think about that. You didn't even think about how I felt, did you?"

"Anna, that's completely different. I didn't kiss you because I felt that way about you. Please understand that."

"So you think that kissing me to make a statement to your ex is completely reasonable. Way to use me, Elsa. And here I thought I was the one who took advantage of our 'friendship'." Anna's eyes were teary again.

It was the blonde's turn to speak, or rather scream. She walked around the room exasperated. "What made you kiss me Anna? Why couldn't you just hold it in?"

"I thought I had a chance... With the Ian incident, I- I don't know."

"So you thought that catching me in my most vulnerable state would be a good idea?" She stopped, but she knew that she wasn't finished yet. She had to make it clear for Anna, clear that this- whatever it was- couldn't be. She had to hand it to her; make her see it in a completely different way. She had to be cold-hearted once again, with the person she thought she would never be again. "You know what the worst part is?" She paused again until Anna finally looked at her, expecting an answer.

"I only kissed you to make Ian jealous."

_Ouch._

If Anna believed she couldn't feel any more pain, Elsa was there to prove her wrong. The shard that had threatened to cut through her heart before had broken into a million pieces and stabbed her in numerous ways. She hoped the tear that ran down her cheek would be the only one for that day. That single tear was her white flag. It was her way of begging Elsa to stop.

To Elsa, Anna looked broken. Her head was down by now, her shoulders no longer stood firm. She had done it. Her mission was accomplished. Anna was hugging herself, as if preventing the shivers running down her spine.

_Did I go too far?_ Elsa though.

_It's what you had to do. It was necessary._ Another part of her brain told her.

"Anna... I'm sorry if I used you but-" Elsa insisted on explained herself for the first time.

" .Shutup." Anna couldn't handle it any longer. "That's enough Elsa. I can't hear it anymore. You're only going to make it worse, aren't you?" She took a moment to think about her next words. "You know? This might all be my fault, but you- you're such a tease. You drew me in... You said that me kissing you explained it all but guess what? Nothing explains your behavior towards me. The way you talked to me, approached me... The way you kissed me. You only wanted to hurt me didn't you? That's all you still want to do." She couldn't stop her thoughts from escaping her mouth any longer, everything she was saying was finally coming out the way she intended to. But what she blurted out next, took Elsa by surprise.

"Carlos. He was right, wasn't he? I should have stayed away from you. Why didn't I listen to him?"

"No, no, no. Anna, you have it all wrong. Carlos didn't know what he was saying..."

"I'm starting to think Ygrette and Carlos were right about you. I should have listened to both of them. I shouldn't have fallen into your trap. Look at me now. It's too late for that. It might have been my fault, what happened, I mean. I was too stupid to see what you really had in mind." Anna could no longer hold her whimpers.

"Anna, stop! Stop it!" Elsa reached for the redhead, thinking that maybe grabbing her would somehow make her understand but Anna pulled her arm before Elsa could touch her.

"Don't touch me! Don't you fucking dare feel sorry for me now." Elsa could now clearly see the consequences of her actions. This was a whole new side of Anna she thought she would never see, and she was the cause of it.

"I'm sorry." She said, still no emotion in her tone.

"Stop apologizing. This is what you wanted, for me to leave you alone. Well there you have it. You'll pretend I don't exist and I'll pretend you don't, even if it fucking hurts me. You're not the only one in this world, you know?"

"You can't go to Carlos..."

"Watch me."

Elsa couldn't stop her anymore. What she wanted to do in the beginning, protect her, she could no longer do. She had given up that right just now. Sure, she had been successful in the beginning. She managed to protect her from Carlos and Ygrette. Unfortunately, she forgot to protect her from herself. She had failed. And now Anna would seek refuge in the wrong person. What could she do about it? She stepped away from the girl. She no longer knew how to handle the situation, how to contain it.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Anna getting out of her chain. She had to stop her, whatever stupid thing she was about to do, she had to stop her. "Anna, where are you going?"

"Can't I shower now? Or are you going to start telling me what to do?" She grabbed a towel and clean clothes. "Get out of my way." She made it into the bathroom, only to look back over her shoulder and hurt Elsa the way she had hurt her. "I'm glad this happened. I'm glad I was finally able to see the real you." Elsa stood, unsure of what to say. Anna walked into the shower and slammed the door.

_She's right. What have I done? What have we both done?_

She hated seeing Anna that way. Mostly, she hated turning her into a hateful person. Without knowing, she turned her against herself and into the arms of the enemy. It was a careless mistake, clearly out of her control but she had done it nonetheless. Anna would no longer believe a word she said, she was sure of it. Poor Anna, she was so innocent and carefree and she cared about her... But it was necessary. She had to turn her away. The way she had just hurt her would not even come close to the way she could hurt her if she kept leading her on. She always hurt the people she loved. She hurt her sister, she hurt her father and she hurt her mother in the worst possible way. She couldn't bring Anna down with her.

_But she's already down... And she won't even be with you, she'll be with Carlos! You better come up with a plan, fast!_

* * *

Attending class was turning into a bad idea. It was useless, Anna decided as the lecture came to an end. She was unable to pay attention given the current situation. How was it possible that all that occupied her mind for the past forty-eight hours was Elsa? But maybe being out of the dorm would be a good idea; she had to stay away from there as much as she could. Even if she didn't want to, she had to forget about her completely. First it was Samantha and now Elsa.

_Oh, Elsa._

At least she only had three more classes to go, three more classes where she could somehow lose her mind, or at least she hoped.

"Hey, loser." That voiced sounded familiar. She turned around before she reached the stairs.

"Long time no see-" It was Ygrette. "-If I didn't know any better, I would think you were avoiding me."

"No such thing." Anna tried to smile as hard as it might be.

"What's wrong? Your eyes are all red and swollen. Were you crying?" She asked with a concerned look on her face. Either she was really good at pretending or she actually cared.

"Oh, this-" This scrubbed her eyes. "-Just allergies. Heh."

"You might be a good liar, but I'm a good detector Anna and I know you're not telling me the truth."

Anna sighed and let her shoulders drop. "Great. You caught me."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. It hurts me just to think about it, talking about it will be that much worse. Plus I've already involved you enough with my problems before..."

"Don't worry about me. I'm okay, you're not but I understand." The two girls stood silently. There was no denying that Anna needed support and Ygrette knew that. She opened her arms and Anna accepted the embrace, she needed a hug more than ever. She needed someone to be there for her.

"Look I- I don't have class right now so maybe we can hang out for a bit, if you don't have class that is."

"I can skip class. Not like I'll be paying attention anyway. We need to catch up on things. How are you and Kristoff?"

"I take it it's been a while since you've talked to him as well?"

"Well no, I've just- We've just talked about me lately, and my problems. I been to preoccupied to ask about him. God, that sounds so selfish, I know. I hope he's not mad at me or anything."

"He wouldn't. You're like his little sister, he just wants to be there for you. He really cares."

"Speaking of little sisters..." Anna couldn't believe she was about to bring up that topic.

"Hmm. What about Elsa? Is she giving you any trouble?"

_Oh, if only you knew..._

Conscious that she shouldn't tell her the truth, she made up a story. "Well as you know it was her birthday on Friday and I wanted to get her something, or plan something but I just realized I really don't know Elsa at all. I mean, I've been living with her for almost two months and I really can't think of anything she likes so I figured who better to ask than you?"

"Well, I might not be the best person to ask but I'm sure I can help you out somehow. First of all, Elsa's not big on parties or anything that celebrates her-"

"Hmm. Who would have thought?" Anna interrupted.

"Yeah, I know. She seems too egocentric for her own good but she actually hates the attention. So yeah definitely no celebrations."

"Okay, gift ideas?"

"She usually doesn't give too much away so it's hard to read what she likes, I'm sure she'll be thankful with anything you get her. It's the intention that counts."

Anna made a pout and Ygrette continued. "Why do I have a feeling you don't like my answer?"

"Because... I need to get her something she really likes..."

"Like I said, she'll like anything."

"But, she needs to know I know her. There has to be meaning behind it..."

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

Anna debated whether telling Ygrette the truth would be a good idea. Sure, she was mad at Elsa and yes, she had threatened her with befriending Carlos and Ygrette again. But did that mean that she was really going to do it? Did it mean she could trust them fully only because Elsa had hurt her? Maybe she could tell her at least half of the truth.

"Let's just say we kind of had an argument..."

"Ah, I see. I hope she's not the reason why you're like this." She pointed at her teary eyes.

"No, no. This is nothing."

"Okay, well. If I know my sister like I think I do, which honestly isn't really much. I think you could never go wrong with a book. She's always lost herself in them. Even when she was little, she would always turn down toys and spend hours engrossed in books."

Anna imagined Elsa as a child, she remember the pictures Elsa showed her a few days ago. It wasn't hard to picture her at all without a book. It all made sense of course; they two seemed perfect for each other. It occurred to her that Elsa viewed the world the only way she knew how, not through the experiences she lived but rather the experiences she read about. She had a unique way of thinking; of that much Anna was sure. As she dug deeper into her realization, she knew that Elsa didn't know how to deal with what Anna had done. How could she blame her? How was it possible that now she was feeling sympathy towards Elsa? Maybe because she reacted in a way she didn't know how, she had not expected Anna to kiss her at all. Poor Elsa, she was probably scared.

_Scared because of me._

She continued her questioning. "I know you said that whatever Elsa kept as a secret wasn't for you to disclose but... Can you at least tell me why Elsa acts the way she does? Why does she insist on shutting people out?"

"Something big happened when we were kids." Ygrette paused, thinking. "I'm honestly not sure whether I want to tell you myself since it is something that affected me as well."

"Oh," Anna seemed shocked. "Was it something family related?"

Ygrette only managed to give her a nod. "I didn't mean to intrude, I'm sorry I asked." Anna quickly excused herself after seeing Ygrette's expression.

"Don't worry. I'm sure Elsa will tell you eventually."

"Okay, one last question. Sorry- Am I asking too many questions?"

Ygrette gave her a small smile. "You wouldn't be Anna if you didn't."

"Well okay, is that family issue the reason why you two aren't that close?"

"Mmhm. Among other things."

"You two have to tell me the whole story somehow. But, why do I get the feeling Elsa was the most affected by it?" For a second, Anna saw a hint of anger on Ygrette's face.

"We- her and I, were both affected."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. You two just... act very differently. You're more outgoing and she's just... you know? Elsa."

"We all face our problems differently, Anna. I like to be optimistic whereas Elsa- She's afraid to mess up. She has done it once and she can't do it again."

Was that the reason Elsa was pushing her away? Was she really afraid of hurting her or messing up and not having control? That thought gave Anna hope, somehow she felt like she learned more about Elsa in less than an hour than she had in almost two months. The reason being Elsa's reluctance to come out of her shell, to keep other people from exploring her mind. Anna had not insisted when she had the chance, and by now Elsa had completely shut her out. If only she could find a way to open her up again.

* * *

Anna woke up again promptly a few minutes before the clock hit the 6AM mark. In a way, she was glad she was now able to wake up early. She could get so much more done during the day. Unfortunately, the state in which she woke up didn't change. Her hair remained in the same mess, if not a bigger mess, than it had previously. It always amazed her how she could lose control of her body when she closed her eyes and lost consciousness.

Today she had another incentive to get out of bed however.

_Déjà vu. Is that chocolate I smell?_

Indeed she was right; chocolate... and another note. Her heart skipped a beat. She had considered Elsa's actions the day before, but was she ready to forgive her and go back to the way things had been? She remembered the way she felt during and after their argument, she remembered even when she tried not too and it hurt more each time she did.

_She doesn't care. She doesn't care about the way I feel. She's doing this because of Carlos and Ygrette and her jealousy._

Was it jealousy though? That thought lingered in the back of her mind, that and a million others. Who was the real Elsa? Why did she behave the way she did? All these unanswered questions would drive her nuts if she stayed there. So again, she went for a run. She didn't care if Elsa was there. She'd just pretend she was some other person going for a run. Some other person she'd never seen before. And she did. She did it for the rest of the day. Avoiding her had proven a bit difficult at work since they kept running into each other. Elsa would shoot her apologetic glances every once and a while and as much as Anna found it adorable, especially the way she furrowed her eyebrows and the way her eyes were able to express so much of what she couldn't put into words, she knew that Elsa was a person she was still trying to figure out. What if she was playing with her again? She had to control the situation before she got hurt again. Ignoring her was hard, but she got it done.

After work she decided she needed some much needed time alone. What better way to spend her free time and earned paycheck than going shopping? The seasons were changing after all, she would need to restock her closet.

That would take her mind of things, she was sure. The hours went by as did her paycheck, but in the end it was all worth it. She could continue for at least an hour or two more but she decided it was too late and she was too tired so she headed back home.

Once again, for the millionth time that day, Elsa popped up into her head as she walked by a bookstore. She walked in reluctantly; after all, it didn't hurt to look around. She wouldn't give it to Elsa immediately, of course. She had to wait a few days, things had to settle down. A little voice reminded her that she was playing hard to get, but wasn't Elsa as well?

Looking around didn't help much, as she knew almost nothing about popular books or Elsa's taste in them so she figured she might as well ask for some help.

"Hello, I'm looking for a book." She asked the clerk.

"Sure, just give me the name and I'll look it up for you."

"That's the thing... I was hoping you would help me choose a book."

"I'd be glad to, what kind of genre?"

"Umm-" Anna was unsure of her answer "-See I honestly don't know what that person likes. All I know is she likes books."

"Ah, I see. Well we have thousands of books. We have books for moms, sisters, girlfriends... take your pick."

Anna blushed as she said girlfriend.

"Very well then, something romantic?"

Of course not. Elsa would get the wrong idea again.

"Too cliché, don't you think?"

"You're right. Since we don't know much about this person, I recommend you get her The Bell Jar. Trust me, she'll like it."

"I'll take it."

* * *

Elsa arrived home earlier than she expected. It had been a weird day for the most part, short and unpredictable. Work had her exhausted and to think it was barely Tuesday. Things did not go according to plan; clearly it was not her day. Somehow she messed up on the smallest things, spilled coffee on her blouse and misspoke to a client. Things did not get any better as the day progressed. Anna ignored her existence, just like she said she would. She was good at it, she had to admit that much. She couldn't expect any less, Anna was hurt, and maybe she'd act that way for days... _or forever._

That reminded her of the note she had left for her. Weird, she had never been as nervous about something as she was in that moment. Why did she care? She didn't want to, but she couldn't help it.

As she predicted, the chocolate bar she left for Anna and the note sat on Elsa's desk. Anna must have placed them there that morning, which meant she was angry. She didn't think Anna would be able to refuse chocolate, but she had. That made it more difficult for her. Had she lost the battle or had she lost the war?

* * *

**AN:** Don't think I forgot to update. I'm a few hours late but here it is!

Honestly, I didn't like Chapter 13 all that much so I hope this makes up for that. Do you guys think I'm being too rough with Elsa's personality?

By the way, since some of you asked for my tumblr: siri-ias tumblr.

Please, let me know what you guys think about this chapter!


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** So today's note will be up here since I feel it is important for me to clarify something before you guys read this chapter. A lot of you are asking what happened to Elsa that makes her feel guilty and awkward when it comes to affection, if you go back and look at Chapter 6, I explain how the reason why her mother died is because Elsa asked her to immediately pick her up from camp, which made her get in an accident along the way. For that reason her sister blames her and their relationship isn't great, also a reason why she becomes upset when her family is brought up. She also blames herself, in a way.

Without further ado, here's another chapter that focuses more on Elsa's point of view...

Enjoy!

* * *

Elsa sighed deeply. Her body sank deep into the leather chair, almost sliding completely off. Things at the office were slower than usual. Much to her dismay, she had to admit she was bored and had absolutely nothing to do. The seconds couldn't go any slower. She could have sworn she waited for the clock to hit five for eternity. Of course, that wasn't the case. How long would Anna keep ignoring her? October had come and gone and by November things seemed like they would not change.

She tried every trick in the book. Apologizing didn't work because Anna no longer believed her, which meant telling her the truth would also be ruled out. But Anna was right, isn't this what Elsa wanted in the first place? To be left alone?

Elsa had given it some thought whenever she allowed her mind to wonder off, visiting that topic was inevitable. Yes, she wanted to create distance between Anna and herself but she never considered she would lose control of the situation. Anna would no longer come to her for advice. She would no longer trust her and worst of all, she would no longer remember she existed.

It was too late when Elsa came to the realization that she had taken their relationship for granted. She deeply regretted the way she treated Anna. Obviously it wasn't entirely her fault, they both shared the blame but Elsa had been too harsh on her. In an attempt to protect her she ended up hurting her, and worst of all pushing her away.

She never thought she'd missed what they had. If the situation was different, she would find the irony quite funny. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Weren't their roles supposed to be switched? Wasn't Anna the one who was supposed to try and rekindle their relationship? Those questions crossed Elsa's mind more often than not. Unfortunately, they were not simple to answer.

Elsa found herself comparing her friendship with Anna with the other numerous relationships she had in the past. Unlike others, Anna was loyal. She wouldn't abandon a friend easily, unless she was forced to, which she had been. Anna had been there for her like no one Elsa had, well except her mother. Anna had done nothing wrong like her sister, or Carlos or even Ian. Anna was there unconditionally, until now. She was the first real friend she had in a long time, which explained why she felt so comfortable around her and why she trusted her, until the incident.

She missed Anna's spontaneous nature, the way she found the funny side to everything, the way she looked at the bright side but most of all, she missed Anna's presence.

_Fight for something for once in your life,_ her gut kept telling her.

She revisited the time they met and the reason why she decided to get close to Anna in the first place. Part of her wished she still felt the same way about the redhead with freckles as she did when they met; indifferent. Another small part of her, small but a great portion nonetheless, wished that Anna would find a way to forgive Elsa's antagonistic behavior and that the two could go back to being friends. The latter seemed highly unlikely considering Anna rejected all approaches made by Elsa. She rejected her chocolates, her willingness to put everything behind them, she was being cold and calculating. Elsa was finally getting a taste of her own medicine. No matter, the smaller part always won and she would keep trying with Anna.

The clock finally hit five. It was time to go back to the same routine. She grabbed her things and walked hurriedly towards the elevator. Exams were two days away and she could not waste a minute. Thankfully, traffic was no issue, not that she'd have to drive far anyway.

She practically ran up the stairs when she arrived at Maple Hall, she had to make enough time to run her errands. Checking her phone continuously to note the time, she failed to notice Anna walking in front of her through the hallway. She reached in her bag to get her key, stepping closer and closer to her dorm room.

"I got it." Elsa quickly looked up as she saw the redhead opening the door.

_Oh._

"Thanks." Elsa smiled but Anna didn't bother looking, they both walked silently into the room. They put their things down, clearly tired from the day's activities.

_Say something, Elsa._

"Do you mind if I go in the shower or are you planning on going in there?"

Anna turned to look at her for a brief second before diverting her eyes to her phone. "You go." Was all she said. Elsa just stood still until she realized Anna would say nothing more.

Her shower, just like anything else during exams, was rushed. She knew that she would do well, obviously she never did less than what was expected, but that didn't stop her from becoming stressed. She grabbed the towel and dried herself as fast as she could. She then wrapped it around her body and walked out. After giving a quick glance towards Anna's side of the room, she noticed she was reading, or rather pretending to read. She knew Anna too well and the redhead wouldn't read unless it was necessary for her to do so. And it wasn't, considering Anna wasn't taking any classes that required her to read The Bell Jar.

_Hmm. I do know too much about her. More than I should, at least._

As she dressed herself in front of Anna, something she wouldn't if she wasn't in a hurry, she remembered she hadn't had anything to eat, which explained the growl in her stomach.

_Great, more time to waste._

"I'm going to get some take out, would you like anything?" She said as she put on a pair of jeans. This time Anna's eyes lingered on her longer than necessary, unfortunately her words did not.

"I'm fine."

"Okay," was all Elsa could reply.

* * *

_God damn it, why does Elsa have to be so fucking tempting. First she is considerate, then she pops out of the shower naked. That ass though. And her curves..._

_Then she brings up food. Does she not remember my big crush on her? Is she encouraging it? Too bad though, I'm not giving in that easily._

_C'mon Anna concentrate, you've got tests coming up. Why are you not studying? Stop wasting your time!_

She put the book down, deciding that there were more important issues at hand.

When Elsa made it back, she tried to ignore the wonderful smell that filled the air and inevitably, her nostrils.

_I guess that's my cue for a shower._

Because she wanted to be away from Elsa as much as possible, she did not mind the long shower. It had been a while since she'd taken one, a long shower, that is. The last time was possibly before school began. She remembered home, it felt like quite a long time since she'd been there even though it was barely three months. She was suddenly filled with nostalgia but she knew she would go back in a week. The memory of Thanksgiving brought a smile to her face as she walked back into the room.

"What are you smiling about?" Elsa asked with a smirk on her face.

_Quit it. Quit it. Put on a straight face, Anna!_

"Oh, nothing. No biggie." She walked to her bed.

"There's-" Elsa hesitated, she knew Anna would refuse her but it didn't hurt to try. "-There are some leftovers just in case you're hungry. I think I bought too much food."

"Thanks but no thanks." Anna's answer was predictable. Elsa just shrugged but she had to keep trying.

"So, ready for exams?"

_Resist, Anna. Just give her an answer and don't ramble!_

"Never."

"Well, at least we're more than halfway done with the semester."

"True."

"I bet you're exited for Thanksgiving break?" She said it with an inquiring tone.

"You could say that."

"Got anything planned?"

"Just going back home to spend it with my parents."

_Damn it Anna, at least be polite!_ Anna thought. "What about you?" She couldn't help but ask.

"I'm staying here for work."

_Why would you do such a thing?_

"Umm, why?"

"Why not? I have nothing else to do."

Curiosity finally got to Anna. "Are your parents busy or something?" She noticed the change in Elsa's face again.

_Why does she always do this when I bring up her family?_

"You could say that." She lowered her eyes.

_Don't you dare feel sorry for her, Anna. Resist. Resist._

"You could at least take a break, you know?" _Damn it, Anna. Stop!_

Elsa, finally glad Anna gave her more than a one word response smiled and responded. "I'll survive... Unless you have better ideas?"

"Umm... nope."

"Oh well."

For a second, Anna considered feeling sorry for Elsa. It wasn't her fault her parents were busy people. It made her wonder if Elsa's whole life had been like that; deprived of affection. That explained why she was the way she was. But still, that was no excuse to be mean.

Anna got into bed, once again eyeing the book she had bought for Elsa but had failed to give to her.

"What are you reading?" Elsa asked, always curious when it came to books but more importantly, she asked because she needed to try.

Anna didn't answer; she only raised the book towards Elsa's direction so she'd be able to see it. Once she knew the blonde was satisfied, she brought it back down to eye level and read over some pages.

"Is it interesting?" Elsa insisted.

Again, no response but instead gave her a thumbs up.

Elsa pouted. "Anna, can we talk?"

Anna pretended to read a few sentences, not liking where this was going, until she finally replied, although refusing to look at Elsa and only at the book. "We are talking."

"No. I'm talking, you're... You're trying to get your point across."

A few seconds more passed before Anna replied. "And what point is that?"

"I get it, okay? You're getting your payback, but don't you think it's been enough?"

Anna closed the book, obviously irritated. "Do you really think this is a game to me? I don't know how you see it but this is as real as it gets. This is the way things are whether you like it or not, which you should since this is what you asked for."

"That doesn't mean you have to hate me..."

"I don't hate you. You've managed to turn my affection into indifference, yes, but I don't hate you."

"Look, can I at least apologize properly?"

"Apologies are not necessary. I'm a big girl Elsa; I can take care of myself. Plus it's been a while; can't you just let it go?"

Anna was right. It was probably too late to have that conversation now but it was also inevitable since Anna wouldn't let her ask before. "Damn it, Anna. Just- just listen for once, alright?" Elsa's voice got louder but Anna didn't say anything.

"Look at me! I'm trying to be a nice fucking person here and make things better and you don't even care."

"Okay, Elsa. I get it. You want to apologize and forget about it? It's been forgotten about, it's in the past. Apology accepted." Anna tried to keep her cool.

"Can you just?" Elsa threw her hands up on the air, clearly exasperated. "Ugh. Why are you making this so difficult?"

"Difficult? This is as easy as it'll get. Are we done talking?"

"No! You need to listen to-"

Anna interrupted her before she had the chance to finish.

"Good night, Elsa." She got into bed as she pulled the covers on herself.

* * *

No one could make Elsa feel so much emotion as Anna did. No one dare leave Elsa talking to herself, who did that anyway? That was rude. What bothered Elsa the most, however, was Anna's reluctance to talk. Did she genuinely no longer care? Of course she did, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten upset. So that was it, she was upset. Would she ever stop being upset? Most importantly, why did Elsa feel like she needed Anna's forgiveness? She never needed anyone else's acceptance before so why was it different when it came to Anna?

_Maybe because she was a real friend and you rejected her!_

Another part of her told her she never really needed any friends. She'd gotten this far on her own but the thought of Anna lingered on her mind for many days and she could not make it go away. She finally decided she would stop; she did not need to waste her time.

"Your exam will be twenty questions, no multiple choice although there will be some true and false," Elsa's professor brought her back to reality. "I'll see you next time." She put her things in her bag and walked towards the library. Calculus was her last class for the day. She needn't study much for that but there was a paper she needed to get done and the library would be the only place where she could do that. She didn't count on the number of people who would need a quiet place, especially close to exams. She headed in anyway; maybe she'd be lucky enough to find an empty table.

After a few minutes of walking around, she finally settled for a desk next to the big windows, every other table or chair was occupied. She turned on her laptop and searched for her notes as she waited for the log in screen to load. Once she managed to log in, she decided that peeking through her social networks might give her some sort of motivation. She wasn't the type to stay connected often, but for some reason, perhaps the need of a distraction, Facebook seemed like a good idea.

She scrolled through her newsfeed, read the numerous, pointless updates from people she once met but never really bother to form a relationship with.

_How can people be so into Facebook? Or have time for it, for that matter._

That reminded her of her busy schedule. Over the past months she only forced herself to indulge in other people's gossip and lives twice. The first time, when she needed to seem distracted and Facebook was her only escape route and second, the time Anna and many others sent a request.

_Anna. Hmm, I wonder what she's up to._

She typed her name on the search box. Having accepted her request on a rush, she never really had time to visit her profile and at that very instant, curiosity got to her. Like Elsa, Anna had also not updated in a while. Most of her statuses dated back to the summer, before classes began. Then there were the pictures.

_Wow, I never knew Anna took these._

_Who would have thought she'd be into photography?_

She looked at the almost never ending number of pictures. Albums were categorized as time periods, be it high school, prom and even freshman year. There were also albums dedicated to landscapes and architecture. She obviously liked to keep memories.

_**September 2014 - Elsa?**_

_Why is my name on this album?_

The blonde clicked through the pictures. Anna must have been sneaking around while taking those pictures because she never found out while at her father's country house. She was unaware of the smile that spread across her face. Candid pictures of Elsa occupied the majority of the album. Elsa leading her to a room, then Elsa leading through the backyard. _This must have been during the tour. I was probably too busy trying to make everything perfect that I didn't even notice._ She continued looking through the pictures.

_Wait, what?! When and how did she manage to take this picture without me noticing?_

In the picture, Anna was looking at the camera, her tongue sticking out as she pointed towards Elsa, who was in the background getting the things ready for the picnic.

_You sneaky little... Why am I smiling right now?_ She finally noticed the big grin on her face. Unfortunately, that quickly changed as she went through Anna's tagged pictures. Her eyes lingered on a picture she'd seen before: Carlos and Anna bowling alongside Kristoff and Ygrette. The first time she saw it, she knew Carlos would be bad news for Anna and now that she saw it again she only wished Carlos had never laid eyes on her, or touched her like he had in that picture.

_Why is he so close to her?_

_It's completely unnecessary, like Anna doesn't know how to bowl? Please!_

_Get your hands of her!_

"Do you mind if I sit here?" A voice interrupted her thoughts. She shook her head before answering, "Umm. Yeah, yeah go ahead."

She looked at the clock. _I've sent an hour looking through her pictures? And what am I thinking? Am I... Am I jealous? No. It can't be..._

_Damn it, Anna. Get out of my head!_

As hard as she tried to work on her paper, she couldn't. Forty minutes spent staring at a blank document made her want to run out of there immediately. And she did, she could not stand it any longer. How was she supposed to get anything done if all she could think about lately was Anna?

How was she going to go a whole week without Anna when the redhead left for Thanksgiving? She would miss her presence, the way she graciously ignored her. She would miss the way she rambled, even if she hadn't in a while. She would miss seeing her shift in bed continuously every morning, and her messy hair, clearly a sign that she wasn't ready to get up. She would miss the way her freckles lined up along her skin, and her intense, dark blue eyes. She would miss the braided pig tails she always wore, and that strand of light hair that made her so unique...

She would miss her even though it was just a week. She would miss her even if she didn't know she would or could.

_Oh, shit. I have never felt like this about anyone before._


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

"Good morning, my favorite interns." Mr. Oaken smiled as the two girls approached his desk. One of them walking awkwardly behind the other, afraid to step on any boundaries.

"Good morning, Mr. Oaken," said Anna first, Elsa only replied with a smile.

"Have a seat, if you would. Feel comfortable, ya?" He motioned for them to take a seat in front of him. They did after getting in each other's way for a few seconds.

"Now the reason I called you in here today is because I have a big job for you two. It might take you several weeks but time is of no issue as long as it's done correctly, which I'm sure you will do." He smiled at the girls, they both nodded.

"You see, we've been working with a partner company for years and years but as you know, we're changing the scheme of things. What I need you to do is gather all the files we have that associate them, or any files that name them. There should be fifteen years' worth of files in the archive room that relate to them. Again," he stopped to look at Elsa then Anna. "Please don't rush through this. Take as much time as you need."

He stood, his tall figure occupied most of the wall behind him. Both girls stood after him, understanding it was time for them to leave. "We'll be working on that immediately," Elsa started. "Would you like us to categorize them by date once put into the boxes?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding me. Please place them according to the most recent date. The archive room should already be unlocked for you." With that, the two girls nodded and left his office.

On any other day, Elsa would have loved to work alongside Anna and rekindle the friendship they had lost. After her realization the previous day, however, she felt the need to stay away from her. How could she be close to Anna after knowing that she felt more than friendship towards her?

_Should have called in sick. Should have called in sick!_

She quickly released the idea because, as Mr. Oaken mentioned, this project would take weeks or maybe longer.

_Oh, Elsa. You're so done for. _A part of her told her.

"Ah, I see you two are ready to go!" A masculine voice shouted from the back as the girls made their way through one of the halls. "Have fun looking through the archive rooms!" It was Hans.

The girls turned around to look at him. "Thanks, Hans. You know we'll have _lots_ of fun." Anna commented sarcastically.

"More fun than I ever will!" He laughed. "I hope you don't mind having to work together. I figured you'd do a more efficient job that way." He raised an eyebrow, examining the girls.

"So, it was your idea?" Elsa asked, out of nowhere.

"Indeed it was, my dearest Elsa." His big grin showcased his perfect, white teeth. Anna noticed the look of annoyance on Elsa's face.

"Oh, no worries. Why would we mind?" Anna answered. The distance between Elsa and herself disappeared as she took three steps towards her and intertwined her arm on the blonde's. Anna looked at her and smiled while Elsa looked down at their arms, in shock and unable to produce words or any other reaction.

_What is she doing? _

"Well then, I'll let you two get to work." He half turned before continuing. "By the way, we have coffee and donuts in the lounge."

Anna inclined her head and smiled, Elsa was still surprised about Anna's approach. Was the redhead trying to portray something else? Did she have to play along?

Anna quickly let go of her once they entered the archive room.

"Anna..." Elsa wanted to ask for an explanation desperately but was dismissed by Anna as soon as she mentioned her name.

"Don't get any ideas, Elsa. This doesn't change things. Let's put on a show, backstage we're just being ourselves."

Elsa understood what she meant, Anna was just pretending and she'd have to follow her lead. Outside of work, things would be different of course.

"What happened out there?" Anna blurted out without thinking. Elsa noticed Anna didn't mean to ask but she responded anyway.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that look you gave Hans and the way you asked him..."

"Maybe I don't want to be around you as much as you don't want to be around me."

A few seconds passed with silence in the room.

"Well that's perfect, then." Was all Anna said.

Deep inside, the redhead was surprised at Elsa's admission. Had she given up completely? Would she no longer try? It made her wonder what caused the sudden changed but Anna didn't want to keep on asking and encouraging her. She needed to stay away from Elsa, even in that room, she needed to keep her distance and stop herself from giving in. She walked to the other end of the room, she could still see her, that perfect human being, but at least she wouldn't be forced to be that near. Even if they shared the same room, they were separated by a large number of tall cabinets.

"Are you going to start from way back there?" Elsa asked as she spotted Anna walk towards the end of the room.

"I figured we would save time."

"Yes, but it'll make it more difficult for us to put them in order in the end." Anna hadn't thought about that, but it now made sense. She sighed deeply then walked back to Elsa, almost dragging her feet. The blonde tried hard to hide her smile.

"I'll look through A to D while you look through E to H. My guess is that will be all we'll be able to look through today, for this particular year anyway. If we have time we can find some boxes and start sorting." Elsa was in work mode and Anna could tell there would be no way of getting here out of there, luckily.

Both girls went over carpets and carpets of documents. The amount of papers scattered on the floor and on the tables would give anyone a headache. Anna hoped she would never have to go through this again in her life, once was enough. Elsa did not seem to mind, she scanned over the documents quickly, but not missing a thing. Anna noticed two big stacks of paper on either side of Elsa. The redhead assumed Elsa would be close to finishing soon and somehow she felt like she had just started.

They were both sitting on the floor, only a few feet away from each other. The chairs that were provided for them were now occupied by boxes. All Anna could do after hours of sitting there was compare the work they had done with the work they had yet to do. She wasn't even half way through! They were both tired. Anna looked around the room, hoping that the time would be in their favor. She could not wait to leave, although that wasn't much of a consolation considering they'd have to do that for days. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Elsa staring at her, she felt her intense glare.

It was the fourth time she caught her doing so, but she had been too busy to ask. Now seemed like the opportune moment. The first three times she believed it was all an accident or a product of her imagination, but Elsa kept doing it, almost unconsciously. Did she not know Anna was aware?

Anna felt a warm sensation spread from the back of her neck towards the top of her head.

_Don't blush, Anna! Not now, don't blush!_

It was inevitable. Now Elsa was aware that Anna knew she was staring at her. The blonde's eyes quickly diverted back to the papers nervously.

"I have- I... Go... I've got to use the bathroom." Elsa said. Anna didn't look up, still trying to hide her face, even though she knew Elsa had already noticed.

"You don't need my permission." She folder her legs so that Elsa could get through.

"Be right back." Elsa said as she exited the room.

_What was that all about? Elsa staring at me and then stuttering? All of this work must really be getting to her._

Little did Anna know, she was the reason behind Elsa's awkward behavior. The blonde girl practically ran to the ladies' room. She placed both hands on the sink and leaned in to look at her reflection.

_Breathe, Elsa. Breathe. You've got to control the situation. Calm down and breathe._

She opened the faucet and splashed cold water over her face.

_That ought to help some,_ she thought.

She walked back to the archive room, but not before stopping by the lounge and grabbing two coffees. Anna could accept it this time, it was hard not to in that room.

_How much longer do I have to put myself through this? It's barely the first day!_

Fortunately for her, time went by faster as the clock hit three. Sorting files seemed much easier than looking for them and that also kept her mind and her eyes busy from wanting to stare at Anna.

* * *

Anna got in her car. She could not believe the day was finally over. It felt good to be able to look at other surroundings other than white walls. It felt different, she could have sworn the smell of old papers and dust were giving her allergies.

_Maybe I can use that as an excuse!_

Of course, she knew better. She put on the radio and closed her eyes as she leaned into the car seat. The weather outside was colder than it should be, especially for November. Her coat offered some heat, but not enough and she was forced to turn on the heater. A text message suddenly interrupted the music on the radio, it was Kristoff.

Kristoff: _Hey, are you out yet? I was hoping we'd go out and grab something to eat. We need to catch up!_

Anna smiled as she read the text; too bad Kristoff caught her on a bad day.

Anna: _Just got out but I'm too tired to function, plus I have to review for my calc exam tomorrow. How about tomorrow though? I promise!_

Kristoff: _Fine v.v sounds good!_

Anna put her phone down and reversed out of the parking lot. She really had no time to waste, although Taco Bell sounded like a good idea.

_Drive-through it is!_

* * *

Anna heard the shower go off as she got into the dorm. Elsa must have beaten her this time, well every time. That was no surprise. She needed a shower desperately as well, so she figured she'd lay in bed until Elsa was done.

_Hopefully she won't take long._

Unfortunately, Anna was too tired to keep up with the concept of time. In the comfort of her sheets and pillows, she fell asleep before Elsa got out, completely forgetting about her food, her work, Elsa's awkward behavior and of course, her calculus exam.

"Anna. Psst! Anna." She felt someone grabbing her arm and then running their hand on her hip. "Anna, wake up. It's late"

Anna shifted her body several times until she finally managed to partially open her eyes, one at the time. Blonde hair, pale skin and blue eyes filled her sight.

_Am I dreaming?_

"Not anymore. I think you fell asleep and forgot to eat your food."

_Oh, shit did I say that out loud?_

"What- what time is it?"

"Quarter passed nine."

"Oh." She realized she was not hungry anymore. She knew she needed sleep, but not four hours of sleep. She could have done so much more with that time; she could have been productive. Maybe she could finally hit the shower and then do some homework...

_Wait! Shit. Shit. Shit. I need to review for my exam tomorrow!_

"Anna... Are you okay? You don't look well." Elsa asked with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm fine." Elsa knew Anna wouldn't say anything else.

She was indeed fine, her exam grade, on the other hand, wouldn't be. She was careless and lost track of time. As a result, she would no longer have enough time to go to the library and meet with her study group. She could try to study by herself, but even simple math was never something she could put her mind to.

She hesitated before getting up and making her way to the desk. To Elsa, who was still staring at her, she seemed lost.

"Aren't you going to eat?" She asked quietly. Anna only stared into space, thinking.

"Anna, it's late. You should eat something..."

"I'm fine, Elsa."

Sure she was fine, she said she was fine for the second time, but did that make it true? She insisted.

"Did something happen? What's wrong?"

"I overslept when I needed to go to the library and review for my exam. I'm sorry; I'm still a bit confused." _And sleepy._

Elsa sighed once she knew it was nothing big. "When's your exam?"

"Tomorrow morning." Anna looked through her bag, thinking that maybe she could review some problems.

"Well, I'm sure you'll do fine. What exam is that?"

Anna stopped and looked up at Elsa. "Calculus."

"Oh," Elsa thought about it for a few seconds. "Maybe I could help you?"

Anna was not expecting that question. She never considered that a possibility so it came to her as a shock. Would it be so bad if she let Elsa help her? Would that mean she would finally have to put her guard down? A few minutes passed with no response from Anna. Elsa took that as a no until Anna finally spoke. "If you don't mind," she said it almost shyly. "You've always been better at this than me."

Elsa gave her a small smile. "I guess I could finally make it up to you, huh?" Memories popped into her head. Anna tried to hide the smile that comment forced out of her, but it was impossible.

* * *

_Did Anna just approve of my help?_

Her response was surprising, but Anna was still sleepy and confused so she told herself not to get too happy.

_But she said yes!_ Her inner thoughts were screaming at her, clearly too happy.

"So, what will your test cover?" Elsa asked as she placed her chair next to Anna's.

"Four sections in chapter six and one section in chapter seven. There's no way I'm going to be able to memorize all of these problems by tonight." Anna was frustrated.

"You don't need to memorize anything."

"I do if I don't know or understand the problems."

Elsa was about to put the palm of her hand on Anna's back but hesitated and changed her mind.

_Maybe this won't be a good idea._

"Well then let's try to understand the problems, that's all there is to it. If you understand them, you'll know what to do."

"Ugh. Maybe I should just try my luck."

"Nonsense, at least give it a try."

"Fine." Anna shrugged.

"What's the first problem?"

Anna gave Elsa her review and the blonde girl scanned it immediately. "If you read the first one," Elsa started. "You can figure out what steps you need to take. See here, for example. It's asking you to find the velocity given the function for the acceleration-"

Anna interrupted. "-and I know velocity is the derivative of acceleration so would I just need to find 'f prime'?"

"Yup, that's all you need to do."

_Anna isn't so bad at this; I don't understand why she's worried._

"Okay, is that it?"

Elsa checked her work and gave a nod of approval.

"See this is where it gets more complicated." Anna read off the paper. "Find the time when the ball has reached its maximum height." she looked at Anna, confused and hopeless.

"Okay, think about it. Try to picture it in your head. After the ball reaches its maximum height, will the velocity be increasing, decreasing, or what?"

Anna tried to picture it in her head. It took a few seconds before she finally responded. "Well... That's a complicated answer because it reaches maximum height before it falls back down and when it will no longer go up."

"Yes, you're in the right track. So it reaches maximum height at a very small instant when...?" Elsa asked.

"When the velocity is zero?" Anna answered, unsure of her answer.

"Yes! See how everything is logical?"

Anna nodded as she quickly wrote on the review.

The next four hours were spent like that. Neither of them minded, seeing as Anna really needed the help and Elsa enjoyed Anna's company.

She enjoyed seeing her wrinkle her nose when she didn't understand a certain topic, and how her bangs got on the way of her eyes and how she got them out of the way annoyingly. She enjoyed the way she smelled, just like summer. The way she pursed her lips when she got a wrong answer, the weird noises she made when frustrated. The smug look on her face when she got something right. She enjoyed the way her fingers played nervously with the pen. Most importantly she enjoyed the way Anna made her feel with her presence.

Again, Anna caught her staring at her.

"...Elsa?"

Elsa avoided looking at her eyes. "Uh, yeah?"

"I asked if you wanted one of my chalupas? I don't know if you've eaten yet but I haven't and it's late so here." She handed her a wrapped chalupa, which Elsa gladly accepted. Not because she was hungry, but rather as a peace offering. Did that mean things were okay again? There was really not knowing. Things with Anna were always complicated."

* * *

By 1:30AM, Elsa was too tired to function and Anna forced her to go to bed, even when the older girl put up a fight. At 2:00AM, Anna decided she'd had enough, and even though she couldn't sleep because of her long nap, she couldn't put herself through another minute of calculus. She was confident she'd get a passing grade. Hell, even a B+. If not for Elsa, she'd probably be screwed. She was so patient, and the way she explained things... She was unbelievable. To say she was perfect would be an understatement.

_What do I do now?_

It was weird for her to be up so late on a school night and in her dorm. She found herself with nothing to do except for maybe blogging a little. That didn't last long seeing as many people weren't online. She checked her various other networks, unfortunately with the same result.

_Maybe if I pace around the room I'll get tired enough to go to sleep._

She walked around for less than half an hour, not finding the result she was looking for. She could turn on her lamp and do some reading, but she didn't want to disturb Elsa's sleep. She grabbed her phone and texted Kristoff.

_Hmm. Maybe he'll be awake._

After a good ten minutes, she concluded he wasn't.

_Ugh, what do I do with myself?_

_What did I do at this time during the summer when I had nothing else to do?_

She quickly dismissed the idea, not liking where that was headed. She couldn't do _that_. Not with Elsa a couple of feet away from her. Besides, she wasn't sure if she was even in the mood.

She finally got into bed, only to stare up at the ceiling and mentally review for her exam. It was so quiet, all she could hear was Elsa's light breathing, and her light movements every so often. She didn't bother to hide her smile, or the happiness that Elsa brought to her. It was dark and Elsa wouldn't see her. She wouldn't see the big grin on Anna's face. She had fought hard to hide how glad she was when Elsa offered her help, and when she mentioned that she'd finally make it up to her. She could finally let it go, at least for now. Tomorrow, they'd go back to the same, nonspeaking routine. That's the way it had to be because Elsa wanted just a friendship, and although Anna did too, she knew that eventually she'd want more and she wouldn't be able to stop herself from ruining their friendship, again. She couldn't bring herself to endure that pain all over again.

"No."

Anna sat up immediately. She became startled but then realized Elsa was talking in her sleep.

_Huh, who would have thought Elsa did that?_

"Anna, no." Elsa continued. Anna was now more alert.

_Did she just?_

"Because I said so." Although she was mumbling, Anna managed to understand every string of words that came out of Elsa's mouth.

She debated whether she should get up and wake up, but she was too intrigued to proceed. She needed to know what Elsa was saying; what she was dreaming about.

"I can't stay away."

_Wait, what?!_

_You can't stay away from who? Or what? Elsa! Keep talking!_

But Elsa wouldn't bulge, whatever she had to say she had said. The quiet words, almost whispers, were replaced by her breathing again. Now Anna wouldn't really go to sleep at all.

She could not stop thinking about what Elsa said. She could come up with a million possibilities to why she mentioned her during her sleep, but neither of them satisfied her curiosity. She needed to know the truth.

For the next five hours, she tried hard to forget, the results were futile. She was about to take one of the hardest exams on the planet, or so she thought, and here she was worrying about Elsa's dream.

She needed to know, she couldn't go on like this. Before she headed into the classroom, she reached for her phone and sent Elsa a text.

* * *

_"Don't get any ideas, Elsa. This doesn't change things. Let's put on a show, backstage we're just being ourselves."_

_"No." Elsa grabbed Anna's arm. She wasn't going to let her get away with this, she __had enough. There was no more playing nice; there would be no more holding back. Anna needed to stop this behavior __now, what gave her the right to ignore her every chance she had?_

_Anna was stubborn, she tried to pull away but Elsa knew better. Anna had become too predictable. She grabbed her other arm and held her close. "Elsa, what are you doing? __Let me go!"_

_Elsa held her stronger, closer. __"Anna, no."_

_"Why are you doing this? Why won't you let me go? Why do I need to stay here and listen to you?"_

_"Because I said so." In that instant, Elsa knew Anna wouldn't try to pull away anymore. Something finally changed her mind, and she would stay there. Perhaps Elsa's determination had helped; perhaps she had finally come to terms. Elsa leaned in while Anna stood awkwardly starting at her._

_"What- what are you doing?" The redhead asked, but it was too late. Elsa was a few inches away from her face. She was going to kiss her!_

_"No, Elsa! I know this is not what you want." Anna pulled away, taking Elsa by surprise. _

_"This isn't what you want, you made that clear. Why are you doing this?"_

_Elsa let her go, maybe she had it all wrong. Maybe Anna had not changed her mind. __"I can't stay away." Was all she could reply._

Elsa recalled her dream as she read Anna's text before heading to class.

Anna: _Was I in your dream last night?_

_Shit, how does she know? I must have said something last night._

She decided on making up a story on why she mentioned her name, telling her the truth would probably be a bad idea. She didn't want to ruin what little they had managed to save the previous night.

_Maybe I'll tell her later, she knows I'm in class right now, and so is she._

_Hmm. Maybe that'll force her to speak to me again._

A smile spread across her face at that thought.

* * *

**AN:** Woo! So much going on in this chapter. I think it came out just the way I wanted to. I hope you guys like it too.

I can't thank you enough for all the reviews, they mean a lot! And the follows! Thank you guys so much.

Make sure you keep updated, something BIG will happen in the next chapter(s)!


	17. Chapter 17

"Hey, did you get my text?" Anna asked nervously as soon as she entered the dorm. She found Elsa, once again, reading a book. The blonde looked up without lifting her head, strands of blonde hair blocked her eyesight.

"I did, weren't you supposed to be in class?" She continued with her book.

"That was before."

"Oh." Elsa was obviously too into the book, as usual.

Anna tried to find another way to ask about her dream without sounding too demanding, or needy.

"How was your test?" For the first time, Elsa looked interested.

"Much better than I expected."

"So I take it you passed?"

"Definitely," Anna opened her mouth to continue, but still struggled to find the words. She had been standing by the door since she arrived, Elsa noticed.

"Something wrong?"

Anna quickly drifted her eyes towards her. "Uh, no. Why?"

"You seem weird."

"I am weird." She finally walked towards her bed. "Say Elsa, don't you think you should reply to my text now?" Anna couldn't bare look at her, she only looked up at the ceiling expecting an answer. What kind of answer? She did not know. But Elsa didn't say anything, which made Anna feel even more awkward.

_What could be so wrong with a dream that she can't tell me?_ Her phone vibrated, it was Elsa.

Elsa: _Were you stalking me last night?_

Anna couldn't hide the smile.

Anna: _I couldn't sleep and you were talking in your sleep._

Elsa: _What was I saying?_

Anna: _Something along the lines of 'no' and 'Anna, no'_

She couldn't bring herself to say the other sentence.

Elsa: _That was all?_

Anna: _You said something else but it was hard to understand._

Elsa: _How weird is it that we're in the same room yet we're texting?_

They both looked up at each other, smiled wickedly then stared back at their phones.

Anna: _Are you trying to change the subject?_

Elsa: _Not at all._

Anna: _Then answer ;)_

Anna wondered if she was going too far. She needn't go somewhere she couldn't come back from.

Elsa: _What was that wink for?_

Anna: _I was trying to persuade you_

Elsa: _So... by seducing me?_

Anna: _No... By intimidation._

Elsa: _I'm the one who intimidates you, remember?_

Anna couldn't help but laugh at that, Elsa only looked at her and smiled.

Anna: _Yeah, yeah. Well, have I seduced you enough to tell me?_

Elsa: _Tell you what?_

Anna: _Stop changing the topic, tell me about your dream?_

Elsa: _Do you honestly think I still remember my dream?_

Anna: _Nice excuse._

Elsa: _Anna... I honestly don't remember._

Anna: _Fine._

Elsa: _Just fine?_

Anna: _Yes, just fine._

The tempo in the room suddenly changed.

Elsa: _Are you mad?_

Anna: _Why would I be mad?_

Elsa: _I don't know, you just seem quiet. Well, more than usual._

Anna: _I've been quiet for a while, Elsa. Don't you remember?_

Elsa: _I thought things were okay between us now?_

Anna:_ Listen, I am very grateful for your help last night. If not for you, I probably would have failed so thank you. That doesn't change how we stand though. You did things to me and I did things to you and it'll take a while before it's all forgotten._

Anna waited anxiously before Elsa's response. Would she even respond? Was she having trouble coming up with an appropriate response or did she not want to? She tried to convince herself that Elsa had not received her text or wasn't finished reading it, although the latter two were highly unrealistic. They were sitting in the same room and did not bother to say more than five words to each other.

Anna's phone finally vibrated again.

Elsa: _I understand._

* * *

Once again, Anna woke up before the alarm went off. Her brain was slowly getting accustomed to her schedule, or rather Elsa's. She opened her eyes and saw Elsa sitting on her chair, working on her computer. For a second, she thought it was later than usual, but it couldn't be; her clock read sometime after five in the morning.

Her body movements, the low grunts and the quiet sounds of her yawning as she stretched attracted Elsa's attention.

"Good morning," she said, not expecting Anna to answer.

Anna wasn't fully awake to remember how she stood with Elsa. "You're not going for a run today?"

"I would, by I can't." Elsa shifted her eyes and her head quickly towards the window, Anna understood she had to look.

"It's- it's snowing..." Elsa had not seen anyone as surprised as Anna at the sight of snow.

"It's really snowing! Oh yes! A-fucking-men!"

_God, she really is like a little kid sometimes,_ Elsa thought.

Anna's eyes were almost sparkling as she walked towards the window, she really was that excited. She jumped around as well as did lots of hand movements, Elsa was certainly entertained at the sight.

"Ohmygod, Elsa! It's snowing!" She said excitedly.

"I know, I noticed." She smiled. How could Anna be so adorable? It was like she'd never seen snow before.

"We have to go for a run!"

"It's dangerous, Anna. Plus you only just woke up."

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm getting some hot chocolate."

If there was one thing Anna could do well, it was to confuse Elsa. She did not understand how Anna felt towards her. The day before she had seen a glimpse of the old Anna, then she turned cold again. And this morning... Elsa swore she would go crazy with all the attitude changes. How did Anna really feel? Would she only seek her when she needed help with something or when she needed to know something? That thought bothered Elsa, not because she minded Anna talking to her only for those reasons, but rather because there would come a time when Anna would no longer need her and what would she do without her presence?

The thought stirred back into her mind. How would she do without Anna for a week? She was leaving tomorrow and she couldn't even stand the mention of the date.

_If only I wasn't so used to her._

"Brought you some hot chocolate, just in case." She placed the cup on Elsa's desk. Not bothering to come any closer.

"Thanks. I've never seen you so excited about something before."

Anna took a sip of her chocolate. She drank too quickly, thus underestimating the heat of the drink. Elsa couldn't help but giggle at Anna's expression.

"Stooop it. Not funny."

Elsa tried to put on a serious face. "So, why so excited?"

"It's not every day that we get snow."

"I took you more for the beach type."

" Well, that's the reason why I like snow so much. It's something new, you know?"

"That makes sense."

Anna gulped before she spoke again, clearly nervous at Elsa's response. "I... Is there- Well, you must like it too, right? I mean the snow. Well, duh, what else are we talking about?" Anna slapped her forehead. "Of course you like snow. Why do I even ask? Your tattoo says it all."

Elsa was beginning to build a laugh at Anna's rambling when she finally processed the redhead's words. She stared down at her chest, making sure her tattoo wasn't too visible. Then she stared at Anna, had she shown it to her before? How could she have noticed it if she always tried to hide it?

"You know about my tattoo?"

Anna's face went blank, no clue on what to say. "Well, yeah. Was I not supposed to?"

"No, no. I just- well, I'm surprised. I didn't think I ever showed you."

"Well, you might want to have a look at your profile pic..." Anna blurted out quickly.

"Ah, yes. I remember now."

"Is there a special meaning behind it? I mean, you don't have to tell me, I'll understand. It's just, I've never seen someone tattooed like that before so I figured it might mean something."

"It certainly does, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to tell you about its meaning."

"You're a very secretive person, you know that, don't you?"

"I always found mysteries to be fun." Elsa gave her a challenging smile.

Anna gasped. "Are you challenging me, Elsa? C'mon we both know you're the one who likes challenges here, not me."

"Maybe I'll tell you later."

"Can I ask you something?" Anna did not wait for Elsa to answer that. "Why are you so afraid to let people know your life story? Nothing bad will come of it."

Elsa waited in silence, thinking of an appropriate response. No one had ever asked her that before, they just accepted her the way she was, and if they didn't, they would simply be out of her life. With Anna it was different, she was insistent and curious, but did she really need to know? She finally managed a reply. "I... I just don't want people to feel sorry for me, that's why I don't want them to know that part of my life..." she lowered her head.

"Oh? But why would people feel sorry for you?"

_Should I tell her?_

Elsa weighed the pros and cons.

Sure, Anna wouldn't tell a soul, she was loyal. But, was Anna even her friend? As far as she knew, they were only roommates, and she wasn't about to spill her life story like that.

"Like I said, maybe some day I'll tell you." Elsa gave her a small smile.

Anna needed to know. She hated seeing Elsa in a state of vulnerability, why did she keep it all bottled inside of all it did was hurt her? She wanted to run across the room and hug her, protect her and most of all she wanted to be there for her.

_Ugh, when did things get so complicated?_

_When you kissed her dumbass!_

Despite her logic, Anna insisted. "El-Elsa, do you?- do you not trust me?"

That question took Elsa by surprise. How did Anna dare ask that question? Wasn't she aware of their awkward situation?

"I don't feel comfortable answering with a yes or a no. It's something I don't know yet." She stopped, finding a way to make Anna understand and at the same time not hurt her feelings. "Let me explain myself. I- You've been acting different around me, and it's confusing. One day you're okay, one day you're not. Can you just make up your mind?"

_Is Elsa about to start another argument?_

"Are you really about to confront me about this right now?" Anna asked.

"Yes, Anna! You need to decide, you can't do things half way. Either you want to talk to me and you do or you don't and just forget about me. I don't know what to think, are you pretending to hate me or do you really not want to talk to me anymore? It's hard to tell with you acting this way. Just please... please choose what you want." Elsa's pleading tone reflected on her expression, almost apologetic.

Anna was so close to giving in. Elsa was spilling her heart, for what? So that things could go back to normal, or what did she really want? She did not know whether she was ready to go back and forget about what happened. She wanted it desperately, but Elsa had hurt her and that was something she would not forget about. Anna was too proud, she had to make Elsa understand that what she did was unacceptable.

"Isn't this ironic? Elsa, you shouldn't even be asking me about this. You were the person who pretended I didn't exist in the first place, and now that you finally feel what it's like you decide that it's wrong? You shouldn't be talking." Anna responded.

"Then you shouldn't be asking if I trust you." Was Elsa's immediate reply.

Anna walked towards Elsa, they were both hurt, mad at each other, and tired of treating the other indifferently, but that didn't change the way Anna felt about Elsa. Those feelings won over her pride, she had to let go; she had to be considerate for once. "Look Elsa, I need to be honest," her voice was much quieter now, she knew she needed a new approach. "I, too, don't know how our relationship stands right now. I think neither of us knows, but I don't want to continue fighting with you anymore. I don't want to ignore you either. I can't do that. You have no idea how hard it is for me to do it every single day, to pretend that I'm mad at you when I'm actually not. It's hard to see you every day and hold everything in, there are so many things that I want to tell you and talk to you about," this time Elsa stepped closer to Anna. She knew exactly how it felt, she understood every word of what Anna was saying. "I understand if you don't feel the same way. I have to admit though, this act I put up- it was because I was hurt and mad and maybe even desperate. But I can no longer stand it, I can't be mad at you any longer." Elsa opened her mouth to say something, but Anna continued. "I don't know how you feel. I want to think that you want things to go back to the way they were, but I don't know if that's just me wishing or if it's actually true. I don't know if you want me to be your friend or..." She couldn't bring herself to say what she was actually thinking. "Honestly, I don't care what I am. I'm your something and that's all that matters, I don't care what I am but I'm glad to be your something. I'm your something and you are my something."

Anna's eyes were teary. Her words left Elsa speechless. How did someone so simple as Anna make her feel so affected?

Elsa knew she had to say something back, but Anna had said it all; there was nothing left to say. She felt the same way. They both felt the same way and they didn't even know it. As much as she wanted words to manifest what she was feeling, her brain and her mouth failed her. The only acceptable response was to nod, run towards Anna and hug her. The embrace definitely caught Anna by surprise, she pulled away, although not fully. She did not want to let go of that moment.

Anna looked into Elsa's eyes, they were both finally on the same page. Why did they wait so long if they were both clearly suffering all this time?

"Does... does that mean you?"

"Yes." Elsa said before Anna could finish. She clearly felt the same way, but what way was that? She knew she felt something for Anna, but she couldn't tell her yet.

"I'm glad we're back to being friends." Anna said as she pulled Elsa into the embrace again.

"I'm glad to be your something."

* * *

**AN:** So sorry for the long update! As some of you already know, I signed up for a two week class and as a result I have been very busy, which also explains why this chapter is so short and maybe not that good. But hey, Elsanna moment in the end :D

One more week and I shall be free of obligations, I might update during the week and if not then, hopefully by the weekend.

I hope you guys like the ending to this chapter, but be warned: more angst coming soon. Muahahaha!

By the way, I have to ask, what's your favorite chapter so far?


	18. Chapter 18

The majority of Thursday was spent packing, on Anna's part. For the first time in her life, she did not want to leave something until the last minute. On any other day, she probably would have, but the snow kept everyone inside so there was really nothing much to do except pack.

"Are you planning on moving out?" Elsa asked as she noticed the stash of clothes Anna was trying to fit into her bags. The redhead kept pushing down on the clothes as if by some miracle they would reduce in half.

"This is me when it comes to packing. I never know what to take so I take everything." She shrugged.

"Looks like you'll have a lot to carry with you. I don't know how you'll make it through the door." Elsa laughed, picturing a very busy Anna trying to fit through the door.

"Well, that's why I have you to help me." She smiled at the blonde.

"Who knows if I'll even be here? What time are you leaving, by the way?" She reached for her phone to look at the time.

"Umm, maybe sometime in the morning. That way I get home not too late, you know?"

"Are your parents picking you up?"

"No, I didn't want to bother them. They'll probably be too busy preparing for thanksgiving. I know, I know, its a few days away still. But you don't know my parents, they make it a big deal. They probably make as much food as our cafeteria, it's incredible."

"They sound like fun." Elsa smiled.

"Oh, they are. You have no idea."

"You never did talk much about them."

"Neither did you. About yours, I mean."

A few seconds passed before Elsa replied. "Good point. Anyway, I would love to meet them sometime."

"I'm sure you will event-" An idea crossed Anna's head before she could finish that sentence. A smile spread across her face as she spoke. "You know what? You should come with. Take a week off, we both know you need it."

"Eh... I don't know, I mean-" It was a tempting offer for Elsa, considering how she didn't want to spend a week without Anna, but she still had to think about it.

"No, no, no. Els, that wasn't a question." Anna noticed the way she furrowed her eyebrows and the way her left hand rubbed on her right upper arm. She had to give her no choice. She wanted Elsa with her, after all.

_There it __is __again, _Els_. How can I say no to that?_

"Fine, you've convinced me."

"Who would have thought it'd be that easy?" A smirk played on Anna's face, obviously a sign of victory.

Elsa laughed at the comment and threw a pillow at Anna.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Anna rubbed her arm.

"For convincing me that easily."

"Pfft, okay. Shouldn't you start packing as well?" She considered throwing the pillow back at Elsa, but decided against it. She'd get her later.

"I should, shouldn't I? I also have to call work and let them know. I'm sure Hans won't appreciate it." Elsa made a pout.

"Hey but it's thanksgiving, he can't force you to stay." Anna's argumentative face was back in place. Elsa found it adorable, it was one of the things she liked most about Anna; she was a fighter, a stubborn fighter at that.

"Yeah, you're right." The blonde stood up and grabbed a suitcase under her bed. Somehow the thought of spending a whole week with Anna brightened her day.

* * *

"Sorry I forgot to tell you that Kristoff would be coming along." Anna turned to Elsa and smiled apologetically. They were both sitting in the back of the car so no one else could hear them.

"Oh, no worries. I assumed he would, you're neighbors, after all." Elsa was right, she didn't mind one bit. Kristoff was someone she had not yet gotten to know but she knew he meant well, and she knew he wanted the best for Anna, which was all that mattered. There was a certain someone making her uncomfortable, however. Neither Anna nor Elsa imagined Ygrette coming along with them, but if Kristoff and her sister were a thing then it all made sense to Elsa, and Anna did not mind having the whole crew. There was no backing out when Kristoff announced they'd be driving Ygrette's car. The redhead knew better though, she knew Elsa and Ygrette did not get along very well. She could sense the awkwardness between the two, and she could see the pressure built between Elsa's eyebrows as she narrowed her eyes and shifted her eyebrows every time Ygrette said something. She was aware of that small detail and so she tried to distract Elsa with a conversation the whole drive.

"So, how did Hans take it?" Anna asked as Elsa stared out the window. The blonde looked back at her and thought about the question, as if taken by surprise. Clearly, she wasn't expecting it but she answered anyway.

"Surprisingly well, he was really nice about it. Told me to have fun and enjoy my week off, that I deserved it." She raised an eyebrow, obviously the whole conversation she had with Hans had confused her, and it did so even more now that she thought and talked about it.

"Well, it's not that surprising. You do deserve it, plus it's a holiday." Anna gave her a small smile but the look on Elsa's face didn't change. The blonde was staring into space, thinking.

"Elsa?" Elsa shook her head to get rid of the thoughts. "Something wrong?"

"No, I was just thinking." She finally looked back at Anna.

"Mind sharing?"

"Well, I'm just thinking. Hans has been acting very weird lately... I think you might be right." Elsa put up a straight face.

"Right about?" Curiosity was killing Anna.

"You know how you asked me if I was with Hans? Well, obviously I'm not but he's been flirty lately. Way too flirty, I would say."

Anna did not reply. That was definitely unexpected. "Hasn't he always been flirty?" She tried hard to not let jealousy get to her. Now that Elsa and her were okay, there was no way she would let anyone else come between them, even if they were just friends. No one could ruin their friendship.

"Wait, what do you mean he's always been flirty?"

Anna cheek's slowly turned red as she realized she gave herself away. "Well, he always tried to keep you with him, I mean."

Elsa thought about it, exploring the possibilities of why Anna would think such a thing. "For work related purposes, of course."

"Okay, well... what makes you think he's being flirty now?" Anna had to shift the focus away from her, plus she really wanted to know what was up with Hans.

"You know that first day we started working on the files? You left and I stayed because he asked me to look over some papers for him. He said I might need to know about them later on, turns out I probably didn't even need to. He just wanted me around to ask me out to dinner."

Anna felt something inside of her spark. The fact that someone else was fighting for Elsa's attention was unimaginable, although not entirely. It was clear that if Elsa was now single, a lot of people would try to be around her, which was just bad news for Anna seeing as their relationship was still a bit shaky. She could have anyone she wanted. But she couldn't even think about Elsa ignoring her for someone else. Then again, what was she thinking? At some point Elsa would find someone else and would not have time for their 'friendship,' she wondered why for some reason she was still hoping that she'd have more than that with Elsa. It was more than impossible, _hell Elsa probably doesn't even like girls._

"He did what?!" Anna almost screamed at Elsa's confession. Elsa, who had returned to looking through the window, now shifted her eyes back on Anna, a little startled with the redhead's reaction. Kristoff interrupted before Elsa has a chance to talk. "Woah, what's going on back there?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing. Just catching up on some work-related things." Anna faked a smile, but she was glad Kristoff broke the tension that was released after her reaction.

Kristoff gave them a nod through the rearview mirror. A few seconds after, Ygrette shifted her body and placed her back against the door, she turned her head towards the back. "So," she began. Elsa had to fight hard to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "I take it you two are no longer mad at each other?" Anna did not reply, not knowing how. Elsa on the other hand, was curious as to what she was talking about.

"Mad at each other?" She looked at her sister, even if she didn't want to.

"Yeah, I guess Anna's gift must have been really good if you already forgot about it."

Elsa stared at Ygrette, then she lowered her glare, questioning what the hell Ygrette was talking about. She wanted to keep asking, but that would be weird. Did Ygrette know something she didn't?

"I- I haven't given it to her yet..." Anna finally said. If she was red before, she was practically the color of a tomato now.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ruin the surprise. Hehe." Ygrette returned to her former position, staring at the road and holding Kristoff's hand.

_Shit, shit, shit. Don't look at her, don't look at her_. Anna told herself as she tried to avoid Elsa's gaze on her, of course it was inevitable, her eyes won as she was staring at the very confused blonde next to her.

"Well... now you know." She laughed nervously, shrugged and said it as quietly as she could. She did not want anyone else but Elsa to hear that conversation.

"Ygrette knew?" Elsa mouthed back.

"Yeah... I'm sorry... I just- She was there and- Don't worry! I didn't tell her everything. I only told her we had a fight and it was a few days after your birthday so I mentioned a gift. Well, I asked her what would be a good gift." Anna ran out of breath, she could not find another way to explain herself. She sighed. She was too into her thoughts that she did not notice Elsa's hand on hers. Anna 's forearm was pressed on the bag she placed in between the two, she was forced to do so with no more room in the back. She had no clue when the blonde had grabbed her hand, it must have been after Anna started rambling again. That question bothered her for a short time because now the more pressing matter was what she was feeling. She considered pinching herself just to make sure Elsa was actually touching her, gripping her hand slightly. She looked down at their hands, then at Elsa who was surprisingly smiling at her. Anna just stared at her in shock and admiration.

"So...Where's my gift?" Elsa whispered and smiled at the same time, Anna could not tell if she was joking or not. But she took the change in attitude as a good response.

"Uh- You. Book. Read." She shook her head. Why was she not able to speak all of the sudden? Elsa's touch could paralyze her and ignite her in so many ways; Elsa's touch was the biggest contradiction of all time. Elsa laughed at Anna's current ineptness when it came to speaking.

"Sorry," Anna finally regained her composure. Not thinking clearly, she pulled her hand away from Elsa and regretted it immediately. What would Elsa think? "It's nothing big, your gift I mean."

"A gift is a gift, Anna. You could give me a sock and I wouldn't care. Well I would, but not at the fact that it's a sock. So tell me, what is it?" She cocked sideways her head to be able to look at Anna, who had lowered her head in an attempt to hide her blush. Was the whole drive going to consist of the universe turning against her and having her blush all the time?

"It's just a book, since I really did not know what else you liked."

"I can't wait to read it." She smiled and Anna was sure that was a 100% genuine, happy-Elsa smile, so she couldn't help but smile back.

They continued to drive for a while. As far as Anna could remember, the drive wasn't usually this long, but then again, it usually wasn't snowing. They decided that it would be best to not make any stops, they were already late as they were and the snow could become much more dangerous at night.

"It doesn't usually snow this early in the year does it?" Ygrette asked from the front.

"No, but I could get used to this." Anna said lazily. They were all really tired of sitting for almost five hours. They all took short naps along the way, with the exception of Kristoff who insisted he was okay. He just needed to get home.

"Hey, Anna?" Elsa called for Anna's attention after the blonde saw Anna wake from her nap.

The redhead yawned and looked at Elsa. "What's up?" Elsa laughed, still not used to seeing Anna wake up like she had just slept for months. "I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?" She blinked a few more times until her eyes finally adjusted. She had to keep her eyes open even if they were fighting to stay closed.

"Did you tell your parents I was coming along?" Elsa asked curiously, and almost afraid although she didn't want to admit it. "I mean... I can get a room in a hotel nearby, if that's the case..."

"Nonsense, I wouldn't- my parents wouldn't let you do that. They love having people over. They'll be delighted with you, trust me. You'll have your own room." Elsa wasn't completely satisfied with that answer, but she only smiled.

It wasn't long before they finally got into town. "We're almost there ladies, we're almost there." Kristoff said before taking Ygrette's hand and kissing it, not letting go of the stirring wheel.

* * *

"Anna, dear! I thought you'd never make it." Anna's mom was obviously worried. The older woman took Anna by her arms and pulled her inside, hugging her immediately. "I'm okay mom. I'm finally home, and I'm okay." Anna reassured her.

"Your father and I have been worried. We thought you wouldn't get here with the snow getting heavier." She couldn't stop staring at her daughter, making sure everything was fine. "We made it just fine." Anna tried pulling away once she realized Elsa was standing awkwardly at the door. She took a few steps back as her mother kept talking. She looked back and smiled at Elsa, giving her a small shrug. "Mom," Anna finally interrupted. "I hope you don't mind I brought someone home."

For the first time since their arrival, Anna's mother finally stopped talking. Her eyes widened and a smile was brought up. "Oh, Anna! Of course I don't mind. I'm glad you actually brought her over. The more the merrier." She looked at Elsa. "I do hope you're staying for thanksgiving, dear."

"That was the plan." Elsa said. She did not know how to act around Anna's parents.

"She's staying here the whole week and then we'll be driving back to campus." Anna said as she grabbed some bags and stepped forward.

"Do you and- I'm sorry, I didn't get your name." Anna's mother said as she grabbed Elsa's arm.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Elsa. Thank you for having me."

"Thank you for coming! You can call me Idunn, we're not big on formality here." Anna and Idunn smiled at Elsa who nodded.

The three women carried the bags into the living room, Idunn insisted that they get something to drink so they all sat down in the kitchen counter. Elsa knew that Anna's mom probably wanted to talk, and although she was dying to go to bed, she complied. As soon as the three sat with her mugs in their hands, Anna's father came through the door.

"Honey, Anna finally made it home! We're in the Kitchen!" Idunn yelled as she heard the door swing open.

The tall man made it to the kitchen. Elsa shifted her eyes between him and Anna. Clearly he was her father, they looked very alike. She resembled him more than she did her mother. He had big eyes, like Anna. The green irises looked for the redhead excitedly. Their hair was just the same too, although his was a lighter shade. Anna stood and ran towards him. Her body was lifted as he pulled her up for a bear hug. "Took you long enough, kiddo!"

"Dad... I'm not a little girl anymore!" She exclaimed but was obviously too excited.

"I just haven't seen you in a while, that's all." He finally stopped hugging her. Elsa could only stare and admire their relationship, not just with her father but also with Idunn. Anna had what Elsa always wanted, and unfortunately, she envied her in some way. They continued talking about classes, and school in general. They talked about how things were back home. Elsa got a few questions thrown at her every now and then, but nothing she couldn't handle. She really liked Anna's family and even though she had just met them, she already felt herself fitting in. They conversations stopped once Anna and Elsa couldn't do anything but yawn. Anna's parents insisted that they both get to bed, even after Anna protested. In the end, her tiredness won and she and Elsa stood up. "Don't worry ladies, I'll put the bags in your room." Anna's father said as the both walked over to the living room where the bags were located.

Anna was too sleepy to reply immediately, but she finally took notice of what her father said. "You mean rooms?" She asked. Her parents stared at each other for a second and then back at Anna. Elsa, as confused as Anna, stepped next to the redhead.

Anna's mother finally spoke. "Oh, honey. Don't worry, we don't mind that you share a room with your girlfriend. You're old enough after all!" She laughed as soon as she said it.

_Girlfriend? I wish... But... Crap! They think she's my girlfriend!_

Obviously she wanted to refute, but could not come up with the right words to say anything. Her parents knew about her relationship with a girl, Samantha, but they did not know that the relationship had ended and now they thought that Elsa was her.

_That's what you get for never introducing them or communicating with them!_ She thought to herself.

The room remained silent longer than it should have, until her mother spoke again. "Unless... You're not?"

Anna was about to explain everything to her but was suddenly stopped when Elsa spoke. "That's fine, we'll share a room. We just thought you wouldn't approve." She then hugged the length of Anna's arm against her body and smiled at her parents. Anna was as surprised as Elsa had been the day that Hans told them they'd be working together.

_Did she just imply that I was her girlfriend?_

Her parents followed Elsa's actions; Anna's father placed a hand around Idunn. "Well, we're glad we finally get to meet you after all this time." He said. Again, Anna struggled to come up with words, she could only stare at the two people standing in front of her and at the girl standing by her.

_Why did Elsa do that?_ She had to talk to her immediately.

"Anna, I don't see why you didn't want us to meet her. She's perfect!" Her mother jumped with excitement.

_That, she is..._ Still, no words escaped Anna's mouth.

"You both must be really tired, come off to bed." The man grabbed the bags and made his way up the stairs, everyone else followed his lead, including a very confused Anna and a very nervous Elsa.

"What... What was that all about?" Anna asked as soon as her parents left the room. She did not bother to turn around and look at Elsa, she was still taken aback. Elsa walked to the end of the bed, where Anna's father had placed the bags. "I assumed you did not tell your parents about your ex... So, I figured I'd play along. I mean, you didn't answer them and just stood there. I thought it was the best thing to do...Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just a bit surprised." She finally looked at Elsa.

"I'm sorry, I'll take the floor. Don't wor-" Elsa did not have time to finish before Anna put up a protest.

"Nonsense! You're a guest here, I'm not letting you sleep on the floor. I'll," she pointed a finger at herself. "I'll take the floor." She walked into her closet, looking for some extra blankets. That allowed Elsa to finally look around. Anna's room was much more tidy than she expected, nothing compared to her dorm. Of course it made sense, considering she hadn't been at home in a while. _Her mom probably keeps it clean for her._ The room was full of color; pink, purple and green everywhere. Elsa wondered if she had failed to change the colors since she was a child but then it all made sense, Anna was full of color, that was her life. The redhead returned with a stack of blankets and pillows on her hands, the only thing visible was her red hair. She placed them on the arm chair and proceeded to look around to spot a space big enough to sleep on.

"Anna... I can't let you sleep on the floor... It's your house after all." Elsa sat on the end of the bed. "I mean... the bed is big enough for two right?" Anna quickly shifted her eyes to Elsa's. _Did she really just ask that?_

"I- I guess." That made Elsa feel a lot better, she would not feel right putting Anna in discomfort. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired. Restroom's over there," she pointed at one of the doors. "I imagine you want to change into something more comfortable." Elsa nodded, grabbed one of her bags and walked into the restroom. By the time she made it out, Anna was already lying on the left side of the bed. She noticed how close to the edge she was and she couldn't help but feel guilty for making the redhead feel uncomfortable. She was sure it would be very awkward for both of them; they had to go a week like this.

Elsa walked hurriedly to her end of the bed and did just as Anna did, laid as far from her as she could. They did not say a word to each other, maybe because of their exhaustion, or maybe because neither of them knew what to say, but it felt better that way. As soon as Elsa got under the covers, Anna shifted herself up to turn off the lamp. The room were completely dark, except for the light coming through the window. "Night Anna." The blonde said and Anna replied accordingly. They both knew it would be an awkward night for both, but tiredness took over Elsa and she fell asleep soon. Anna, on the other hand, had more trouble falling asleep. She was so close to Elsa, despite wanting to stay far apart. She laid on her back and turned her head to her right to look at the girl next to her. Even asleep she looked elegant and graceful. It was definitely a rare sight, she never really paid much attention to her at night. How could someone sleep so peacefully? To Anna, Elsa was just like an angel, and she felt like one too. After shifting and turning several times, her brain finally shut down as well as her eyes.

* * *

**AN:** Long time, no update! But here it is!

Let me know what you guys think of this chapter, enjoy :D


	19. Chapter 19

Being back home was different. Not because she had not been there in a while, but rather because it felt different having Elsa around. It was just as if she had brought a piece of her campus life with her. But she couldn't complain, she was happy, even if they were pretending to be something they were not.

Elsa was a strange character, that much was for sure. She would have never thought that Elsa would play along with the 'girlfriend' part. It couldn't have gone better even if she tried. Sadly, she knew that the act they were putting up was just that, an act. Why Elsa had agreed? She had no idea, but it did not change the fact that Elsa would never feel that way.

She stared at Elsa, she was lying in bed wearing her usual white t-shirt, obviously too big on her, and a pair of blue shorts. As Anna sat on the arm chair observing her, she assumed that it probably got too hot for her at night and decided to get rid of the covers.

_Anyone who gets this girl is one lucky bastard._

She suddenly feel weird staring at Elsa while she slept.

_She's going to think I'm stalking her._ A smile spread across her face thinking of herself as a stalker. Who else sat in a chair at four in the morning and stared at their roommate who was fast asleep on her bed? The truth was she didn't like being in that situation, she'd barely gotten a few hours of sleep. She woke up sometime at three, her eyes too heavy to notice the exact time. It felt like any other day at home, of course it wasn't. She only realized after she felt Elsa shift next to her that she wasn't alone. It all suddenly came back to her, what had her parents gotten her into?

_And why is Elsa this close?_

She quickly scooted back to her side of the bed. Of course Elsa hadn't moved one inch, it was her. She couldn't control herself even when she was asleep. Going back to sleep would obviously be a bad idea as there was not knowing what her body would do. So she walked around but was still too tired and after eyeing the chair, it seemed like the best place. And there she was, staring at Elsa like a fool. Her blonde, soft hair flowing elegantly into her shoulders and chest. It wasn't every day that Elsa let her hair down, it was mostly always in a braid to the side. Anna thought she'd need to convince iher to change it up a bit, hopefully she wouldn't put up a fight.

The time passed slowly, and Anna felt her eyelids getting heavy by the second. The bed looked too tempting, and having Elsa lying there didn't help. If anything, it seemed more inviting, but she had to fight the urge.

_Wake up, Anna!_ She stood up and walked into the bathroom.

_Maybe a shower will help._

She hopped into the shower, making it as cold as she could handle. The cold certainly had to help. A bath also seemed like a tempting idea but that would only cause relaxation and then sleepiness. She got out once she was convinced her tiredness wouldn't get to her.

She grabbed the green tank top she was wearing, and the purple flannel pajama pants. It was too cold to wear something else, too cold for her anyway. She shivered at the thought. She walked out and found herself with nothing to do again.

_How can I not be in control of what happens in my house?_

She walked towards the door slowly, opened the door carefully to prevent the squeezing from waking Elsa. Then she made her way downstairs into the living room. Watching TV was her last alternative, and it worked. There was nothing like being home, sitting in the couch covered in a blanket and watching TV.

_Oh, how I missed this._

The few hours passed by, the kids' shows on a Saturday morning managed to keep her awake. She knew she would need sleep later on and made a note to take a nap later during the day, that way Elsa wouldn't get on her way, or rather the other way around. The sunrise began to brighten the house somewhat. The snow was still visible outside and Anna hoped it would keep coming down. She was suddenly distracted when her phone received a notification.

Elsa: _Where'd you run off to so early?_

Anna couldn't help but smile at the thought that Elsa looked for her as soon as she'd woken up.

Anna: _I'm downstairs, watching TV. Plus it's not that early, it's almost nine._

Elsa: _And you're up before me, what a miracle._

Anna: _That's true, I guess you were really sleep deprived._

Elsa: _I'm surprised you weren't. What time did you wake up?_

Anna: _Not too long ago._

She had to lie and avoid and explanation.

Elsa: _Oh, well. Mind if I use your shower?_

Anna: _Go for it._

Even though she wanted to stay in the couch for the rest of the morning and envelope herself in the warm blanket, possibly going to sleep, she knew her parents would probably be downstairs soon and they'd start questioning her. Lazily, she stood up, wrapped the blanket around her arms, dragged herself across the floor and back up stairs. She was past the guest room, the room Elsa was supposed to be sleeping in. Yet she was sleeping in Anna's room instead, go figure. As she made it across the hall towards her room, she thought about what she would do that day. Whatever it was, she had to include Elsa. She couldn't just leave her in the house all day, that would defeat the purpose of bringing her here.

_Let's see, if I was Elsa what would I like to do?_

That question would require a lot of thought, what if Elsa didn't like what she'd choose?

_Ugh, this isn't even a date. Why am I worrying so much?_ She shook her head to dismiss the thought and made herself into her room. Elsa was still in the shower, she knew she needed one desperately as well so she gathered some clothes as she waited for the blonde to finish.

_Does Elsa usually take this long?_ She asked herself as she waited in the bed. Maybe she was figuring out how to deal with the hot and cold water. She smiled at the thought, knowing she had always struggled with that as well. One time the water was extremely hot that when she got out of the shower, her whole body was completely red. Kristoff had laughed at her the whole day, but she kept insisting she had sensitive skin.

_Kristoff,_ that reminded her. He had to be notified about their little act. She grabbed her phone and quickly dialed him.

"Yeah?" His voice sounded like he was still asleep. "It's Anna, hold on one sec." Anna heard a faint female voice through the phone, probably Ygrette.

"What's up, Anna banana?"

"You won't believe what happened?" Anna said excitedly, more so because she couldn't wait for Kristoff's reaction.

"Umm... Don't know... A million things could have happened." he yawned.

"My parents think Elsa is my girlfriend." She said it hurriedly, not able to keep it in any longer. She was sure that probably brought Kristoff 100% back to his senses.

"No way! What? How?" Again, she heard the female voice. Ygrette probably wanted to know what was going on as well.

"Yup. They wanted to bring our bags up to my room cause they thought, you know? It gets better though. I was about to clarify that she was just my roommate but Elsa played along!"

"Anna, are you making this up?" He obviously thought it was too good to be true.

"100% serious right now." She loved the fact that Kristoff found it as unbelievable as she did.

"Well, I can certainly see why you called me so early in the morning. You obviously had to tell someone."

"Actually, the reason I'm telling you this is because my parents might bring it up when you're around so... Yeah."

"Oh, cool. Don't worry. I'll play along." Anna could hear his smile through the phone.

Now that that was settled, she could worry about one less thing. Elsa walked out of the bathroom, she was wearing a pair of white jeans that accentuated the shape of her legs, her hips and the curves of her butt. She also wore a navy blue sweater, the v-line around her collar revealed much of her pale skin, but Anna absolutely loved it. "Woah, looks like you're ready to go." She said as she eyed the blonde, who grabbed her hair and pulled it into three sections, attempting to make a braid. "Well, I didn't bring much clothing, so I guess this will have to do." Elsa replied.

"You're definitely going to make my family look under dressed this morning," she laughed and she continued to look at Elsa from head to toe. "We usually just have breakfast with whatever we wake up in. But hey-" she stopped laughing and tried to put on a more serious face. "You could always borrow something from me. I brought more than I should have and I have a ton more in the closet."

"I think it's too late to change again, but I'll definitely do that in the next few days." Elsa gave her a thankful smile, which Anna accepted, as well as her response. That outfit did look too good on her, it would be a crime for her to change it.

"Are you ready to go downstairs?" Elsa asked her when she noticed Anna was beginning to get distracted.

"Well, I was going to hop into the shower but I'm actually starving." The cold shower she had taken earlier that morning popped into her mind. That seemed like so many hours ago now that she felt like taking another one, but she was indeed hungry and it was already kind of late.

The girls made themselves down the stairs, they could hear the shuffling of plates and the sizzling of something in the stove. As they got closer, the smell of bacon and eggs filled their nostrils, Anna practically ran towards the kitchen. "Smells amazing!" She said as she entered, almost sliding on the floor but she managed to catch herself as she reached the counter.

"Good morning, ladies." Idunn looked at the girls as they both appeared into the kitchen. Anna took noticed of how she stared at Elsa, obviously admiring her, she probably thought she was out her league. Anna could not help but feel proud; she was the one who got to be the most around Elsa, after all. She was lucky to call her her girlf... No, not her girlfriend. She shook her head and Elsa noticed but was too distracted with keeping up a conversation. Elsa was just her friend.

"Anna, dear," her mother called her. "Could you do me a favor and serve Elsa some coffee?"

"Yes, mother." She rolled her eyes jokingly. Of course she'd do it; she'd do anything for Elsa. She stood up and walked to one of the cabinets next to the fridge. Not tall enough to reach for a mug, she had to stand on her tip toes and stretch, unaware of Elsa's eyes on her. It was hard for Elsa not to stare, her skin and her freckles were just too... captivating. The redhead then made her way to the coffee maker and poured some coffee. She turned her face and caught Elsa staring at her. "How many sugars?" Elsa quickly looked up, she literally felt her face go red. "Two is fine." She tried to think about something else but still the blush remained in her cheeks.

"What were you staring at?" Anna whispered to her with a smirk on her face, she had made it across the kitchen floor to Elsa's side in to time at all.

_Stop blushing, stop blushing!_

"I just realized how short you actually are." The blonde laughed not at her comment but rather at the relief that came after she was able to come up with a good answer. Anna leaned in and lowered her head, Elsa quickly looked down at her coffee, avoiding whatever Anna was about to do next.

"I'm not short, I'm just fun sized!" This time she whispered in her ear. That made Elsa smile again.

_Oh, Anna..._

"Look at how adorable you two are." Both girls looked up to Idunn, who had obviously been staring for too long with a mug between both her hands. She was obviously happy at the sight. "Mom, stop. You look like you're watching a romantic movie or one of your shows." Anna answered. "Oh honey, I think you just ruined the kiss scene." Both girls blushed and Anna quickly separated from Elsa and sat back into her seat.

"I haven't had a breakfast this good in a while, mom." Anna said between bites, Elsa couldn't help but laugh as she was barely able to understand what was coming out of Anna's mouth. Either her mom did not hear her or was too preoccupied with something else. "So, talk to me about you two?" Idunn asked excitedly as she turned to face the girls sitting in the table.

"Mom..." Anna had to change the subject. "Where's dad?"

"He had to go get something from the car, but don't let that interrupt you. Do go on!"

"Can this wait until after we finish breakfast?"

"Oh come on, Anna. Don't keep me guessing! I want to know everything!" The woman had a pleading smile on her face. Anna stuffed more food so she could keep herself from responding. Her mother knew her too well however, so she tried her luck with Elsa instead. Anna knew immediately that Elsa would not be able to deny her mother that, she was too polite.

"Well, what do you want to know Mrs- I mean, Idunn." Elsa took a sip of her coffee.

"Absolutely everything. How long have you been together? How did you two meet? You know? Stuff like that." She finished the sentence with a grin on her face. If Anna had her father's looks, she definitely had her mother's personality, it was uncanny.

"Well I can't exactly answer how long we've been together for. We've certainly known each other for a while now and we've been good friend since the beginning. Really good friends actually, even after we started dating I still saw Anna as one of my friends so it's always been hard to determine when our relationship actually started." Anna's jaw dropped, Elsa couldn't have answered that any better.

"Aww, I guess you two are just meant to be. And so? How did you meet?" This woman was just a stubborn and curious as Anna, Elsa thought and couldn't hide her smile. She took another sip of coffee before she replied. "Well..." The silence lingered longer than it should have. What could she say? She couldn't come up with something for that.

"We had a class together freshman year." Anna said after she realized Elsa's struggle. "That class was so hard, you don't understand. We literally had a test every time we had that professor. Luckily I had this genius over here," she nudged Elsa's side. "If not for her, I probably wouldn't have passed. After that we kept in touch and couldn't keep ourselves away from each other. I guess anything that would happen was just inevitable."

Anna couldn't tell whether there was a tear rolling down her mother's face or if she was just imagining it. The little lie was quickly turning into a series of lies.

* * *

The snow had accumulated quite thickly on the ground. Anna managed to convince Elsa, after several attempts, that they both should go and play with the snow. Elsa tried to change the redhead's mind with logic, but Anna had her mind set.

"I swear sometimes you're just like a little kid." Elsa told her as they both made it to the front yard.

"Oh please, have you even dealt with little kids before?" Anna shot a look at her.

"No, but after this I'm definitely not going to." The blonde walked around, examining the snow. Anna didn't respond after that and she figured she was probably too excited with all the snow, that is until she felt something hit her lower back. Instinctively, she lifted her arms and turned around to look for a culprit. But who else could it be besides Anna? _Of course, Anna._

"Hey! What was that for?" Elsa tried to get the snow off her, but part of her coat was already wet.

"You deserved it!" Anna stuck her tongue out at her. She saw Elsa lean down and rub her arm, she was sure she hadn't hit her arm at all. But there was concern on Elsa's face. "I'm going to head inside and check this out." She walked inside slowly, examining her arm, Anna was left behind her, a scared look on her face. The redhead quickly followed Elsa. "Elsa, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, are you okay?" Elsa stopped before she made it halfway through the sidewalk. "I don't know..." She seemed so unsure, the thought of hurting Elsa the slightest terrified Anna. "Can I- Can I have a look at it?" Anna asked from behind. "Sure you can." With that, Elsa turned around faster than Anna expected. Her 'hurt' arm was swinging back with a snowball on her fingers. Elsa laughed and threw the snowball at the redhead, who didn't have enough time to duck or cover herself. "How's that for a look?" Elsa was having too much fun now.

"Ouch! You sneaky little..." Anna ran towards Elsa and tackled her to the ground. the blonde still couldn't stop laughing. "Oh you want to laugh, huh?" Anna pinned her down and started tickling Elsa on every exposed part of her body she could find; her neck, her sides. "ANNA.." A laugh. "LET." Another laugh. "ME GO." She was running out of breath, her feet kicked every which way.

"What's with all the commotion?" Anna's mother said through the door. Neither of the girls paid attention, Anna was too into her payback and Elsa couldn't even pay attention. "Oh girls..." Idunn stepped back inside and walked out two minutes later. This time, Anna did feel her mother approach them and decided to stop. She got up and gave Elsa a hand. "God, Anna... You can really be rough sometimes." Neither of them had paid much attention to Idunn standing a few feet away from them, nor to what she was saying. "So, I'll take that as a yes?"

"Take what as a yes?" A smile of victory reflected across Anna's face. _Yeah, take that, Elsa!_

"Let me have a picture of you two." The two girls stared at each other. Elsa shrugged, how bad could a picture be, right? It was just a picture, nothing else. "Alright, mom. A picture it is." Anna placed her hand around Elsa's shoulder, her mother showed a look of disapproval. "No, no, honey. That won't do. She's a lot taller than you." They separated again, unsure of what to do. "Oh, come on now. You two don't have to be shy around me."

"Yeah, Elsa. We both know you're not the shy type." The three of them looked to Kristoff's house. A certain brunette was having too much fun while leaning against her car. "I'm sorry ma'am," Ygrette continued as she noticed a very confused Idunn. "I'm Elsa's sister," She walked closer towards the woman, who shifted her eyes between her and Kristoff's house. "Oh, and I'm also Kristoff's girlfriend."

"Oh! How wonderful! You must be lovely as well. I'm glad Kristoff met you just as I'm glad my Anna met your lovely sister. Don't they make a sweet couple?" Elsa felt like she could die then and there. For all she cared, she could melt along with the snow. A devilish grin played on Ygrette's face and she turned to face Elsa for a second or two. "Yes, they are quite something, aren't they?"

"Indeed they are. That's why am trying to capture the moment with a picture." Idunn lifted the camera. "But you know... they refuse to collaborate."

_Hmm, I wonder if Anna got her photography skills from her mother as well._

"I'll be more than glad to help you with that. Let's see... Here Elsa why don't you have a seat, crossed legged. And Anna, you as well, but you should be kneeling down, that way you're both kind of leveled." Idunn handed the camera to Ygrette with complete confidence, there was a look of delight on her face. The girls, afraid to argue and not play along, did as Ygrette suggested. Elsa had to admit she was a little afraid of what Ygrette would come up with. "Now Anna, I want you to turn around completely and face Elsa's right profile. Yeah that's it." The brunette approached them to help Anna adjust herself. She then took a few steps back until she reached Idunn. "Okay, Elsa you should turn your head to your right and look at Anna." She did as she was told. "Anna, feel free to lean for a kiss, we all know you want to so you might as well." The redhead stopped, stared at Ygrette. Elsa knew she was about to protest to she grabbed her face with both hands. "Relax, Anna. Just play along." She whispered on her ear. Anna now looked at her with confusion.

_Did she really just say that? Does she not know what that would do to me?_

No matter what she told herself, it was impossible to fight it. They were all expecting a kiss, and well, she couldn't deny she wanted it either. She let Elsa pulled her towards her, the blonde's hands still holding Anna's face. The expectation was killing her. She wanted to feel Elsa's lips on hers again, even if it wasn't for the right reasons. Who cared? It would never be, this would be the only way. And at least it was better than the last time. The build up was driving her insane, or maybe driving _them_ insane. She could feel Elsa's eyes on hers, but the redhead could do nothing but stare at the lips calling her name again. Then there it was, the spark she had waited for for such a long time. Just like an atomic bomb, it exploded and she could feel the eruption spread across every inch of her body. Except this wasn't a bomb, it was Elsa. And she found herself wanting more and more. She didn't pull away, ecstatic with the contact. Elsa didn't pull away either. How long had it been? It felt like eternity. No, it felt like heaven. There were fireworks everywhere, and all of the surrounding were suddenly forgotten. Until a loud laugh got closer and closer. Anna finally began to make out the voices around them.

"That is so... romantic."

_Is that my mom?_

She opened her eyes, and it was then that she noticed Kristoff was there as well, amused at the sight. Elsa pulled away from the kiss.

_No! Come back. Who knows when this will happen again?_

"That picture deserves to go up on a frame." Idunn said as she took the camera from Ygrette.

"Mom... don't you dare." Anna stood up and shook off the snow from her boots. Her mother paid no attention and headed back into the house.

"Well, well, well." The two girls knew that could be no one else but Ygrette. "Who would have thought?"

"Ygrette, please... don't start." Elsa pleaded.

"Oh, trust me I won't. Kristoff and I will get out of your way. You two obviously need to catch up on stuff." She winked at the girls and grabbed Kristoff's hand. The two of them walked back to his house.

* * *

**AN:** Well, here you have it. Another chapter in less than two days. Things will start to get heated up soon, guys ;)

P.S. I'd love to hear more from you on reviews!


	20. Chapter 20

"Do you think they bought it?" Elsa's voice broke the ice, or should I say the snow? She fidgeted with her fingers, looking down at the ground until she finally looked up to find a speechless Anna.

"Umm... Yeah, they bought it alright." Anna paced around. It was slowly becoming one of her habits when she did not know what to do, and it was also becoming way too frequent now.

"I can't believe my sister did that." Again, Elsa's voice brought her back to earth. It had been how long since the kiss? Probably a good five minutes or so, but she still felt it marked on her skin, on her being. She did not respond; she was still too busy trying to process it all. She walked from left to right and from right to left, repeatedly. Her arms folded in front of her, head down, Elsa noticed. The blonde took a few steps towards her, placed her palm on Anna's upper arm. "Hey Anna, are you okay? You seem nervous." Anna stopped and saw the look of concern on Elsa's face.

"I'm fine." But she did not look fine; she still seemed lost and unresponsive.

Elsa could not help but feel guilty. "Look Anna, I'm sorry about all of this. I understand if- if this is just too much. It was my idea to go along with your parents and-" She sighed. "-and I'm starting to think it was a terrible idea. You must be very confused so..." She stopped; she needed to make sure that the next words were said carefully. "Maybe we should just tell your parents the truth." Anna continued looking at her. She was right, it had been a terrible idea, but there was no going back. She was determined to keep up the lie. Maybe it was because she was in too deep or maybe because she did not want to explain everything to her parents, but that wasn't the truth. She couldn't lie to herself; she had to keep it up because she wanted to, because she liked it. Even if everything was just a lie, just an act on Elsa's part, she needed it and she had to cherish it because that would be the only way she'd get that with Elsa.

The sound of an engine interrupted the silence that followed. Anna's dad was making his way into the driveway, struggling to get the car to go up the small incline. The snow was constant and it did not seem like it would stop. "I guess we can tell them once their together." Elsa said as she looked at the man.

"No. We're not telling them, it's too late." Anna wished she had a more convincing explanation as to why they shouldn't tell them, but she didn't, so she hoped Elsa wouldn't insist. Luckily, the blonde just nodded.

"Hey there ladies." Anna's father got out of the car and walked towards the front door. "Oh poor Elsa, did my daughter force you to come out here in the cold and build a snowman with her?" He asked before stepping inside.

"You know how stubborn your daughter can be, Mr. Aldridge." She smiled at him, and he returned it. "Just like her mother. Well, have fun ladies!" He replied, finally stepped inside, not before getting rid of the snow in his shoes.

Elsa looked back at Anna who seemed somewhat better now. "What are you thinking about?"

_I can't really tell her what I'm thinking about._

"Umm, I was just wondering where you'd like to go today. You know? Staying at home can get boring."

Elsa looked around. "Well I don't know much around here but I'm still a bit tired from yesterday, and then there's all this snow."

Anna smiled. "I guess Netflix it is then."

* * *

"Is this what you do all day when you're at home?" The girls were lying in bed. Not much light came through the window as it was still quite cloudy outside. Their day at home was spent watching various shows and movies, finding something Anna had not watched yet was harder than anticipated. Elsa teased her for not going out enough and spending too much time on Netflix.

"Oh, if only you knew. I go out WAY too much." She clarified.

"Yeah... That explains your Netflix account." Elsa commented sarcastically, after which Anna gave her a small push.

After much insisting on Elsa's part, they settled for The Walking Dead, much too Anna's dismay. "Why can't we just watch... I don't know... Something romantic?" She pleaded.

"C'mon Anna, you need to watch something more interesting." There was no way Anna could refuse her, even if she desperately wanted to.

After three episodes, hunger got the better of them and Anna suggested they'd get lunch. "What are you in the mood for?" She asked as she heard both their stomachs growl. Elsa, who was smiling after the realization, only shrugged.

"Surprise me." The redhead smiled, shook her head and stood up immediately. It wasn't long after that she came back into the room with two plates in each hand. Elsa quickly stood up to help her.

"You know, I've been thinking." Elsa said after a while. They had both finished eating and placed everything aside.

"Seems like you've been thinking a lot lately." Anna yawned, the lack of sleep was finally affecting her.

"Well, it's impossible not to think. Even when you're thinking about not thinking you're still doing it." She replied, matter-of-factly. Anna only stared at her.

_Wow, you amaze me sometimes. _

"I know." The blonde replied with a grin on her face, she knew Anna had not meant to say that out loud.

The redhead tried to quickly change the subject, "So, what were you thinking about?"

"Christmas." Elsa's response was automatic, which left Anna thinking about what Elsa could have meant.

"Don't tell me you're planning on getting Christmas gifts already? Isn't it a little too early?" Anna mocked her, knowing Elsa always had to be prepared for everything.

"That's not what I meant." She attempted to smile, noticing Anna's playful comment. "I meant Christmas... And your parents, and well... Us." Anna could tell that Elsa wasn't just letting her know what had been on her mind lately, she was also asking her. What would they do? Did they have to keep it up then too? She would like nothing more, but by the look on Elsa's face she knew the blonde probably didn't. She remained quiet, pretending to think about the possibilities, when it truth she was only tormenting herself with something she wished was real but wasn't.

"Let's not worry about it now," she tried to change the mood again. "Besides, you probably have plans with your family." In that instant, Elsa wanted to blurt out countless of things. She wanted to spill her secrets; she had to be honest for once. "Are you still here?" Anna waved her hand in front of Elsa, who had been blankly staring into space. Immediately, Elsa shook herself out of her thoughts, but the feelings the thought of her family brought to her remained, and Anna noticed.

"Did I say something I wasn't supposed to?" Worry took over Anna. "Elsa, I'm sorry. Maybe you wanted to spend Christmas here and I just assumed- Ugh, you know how I can be sometimes and you know you're welcome to be here anytime you want. I wouldn't mind and my family would love to have you here too. Hell, they'll probably want you to stay here forever but I... I just assumed you had plans with your family since you know? Christmas is a family day." Anna was rambling again, and she knew it. She timidly put a few strands of red hair behind her ear. Her rambling would usually make Elsa giggle, smile, or make fun of her but today it seemed to have no reaction. Anna stared at her; the older girl seemed broken, upset even. Why did she always act like this when she mentioned her family?

As if reading her mind, Elsa finally spoke. Her voice was as quiet as a whisper, if not quieter. "I don't have a family." She looked down at the ground; she had been doing that for the past five minutes, or however long it was since Anna mentioned her family.

Anna questioned whether she heard her right. Did she just say she didn't have a family?

_No, that's not right. I probably misheard._

She would have preferred it that way, but the way Elsa's back was rising and falling faster than she could count the seconds made her think otherwise. Elsa was crying. She had to repeat herself that several times.

_Elsa is crying._

_Elsa is crying._

_Elsa is crying._

The sobs became more audible, and her disbelief bigger. When was the last time she had seen Elsa cry? Guilt started to overcome her, the only reason the blonde was crying was because of what she had said. "Els., calm down. What do you mean you don't have a family? That can't be right... I mean look at you! I bet they love you." She said it with a lot of enthusiasm, but her voice never got higher than a whisper; Elsa needed calmness right now, she needed Anna.

The blonde continued crying, softly and elegantly, what else was expected of her? Her forehead rested on the palms of her hands as her back shook aggressively.

_How long has she been holding this in?_

"I don't... It's just me. It's always been me." She said it between sobs. It took a lot from her to finally say everything out loud, and to someone else, but she knew Anna wouldn't judge her. She was hoping she'd be there for her. Their bond had deepened over the last few days and even though they were not clear on how things stood between them, she knew Anna felt something special, and maybe she did too. She must have, otherwise she wouldn't find herself sitting in Anna's room, crying and pretending to be a couple.

"But you have Ygrette, she's your sister even if she's not the best of sisters. I mean, I wouldn't know, I'm an only child after all but she's your family..." Anna's voice ran through her spine, through her heart, and spread throughout her soul. Anna's voice was becoming soothing in her storm of sobs. In that moment, it was the only thing keeping her from becoming a complete disaster, and it was also the only thing encouraging her to letting go; to let it all go. She needed to escape her secrets; she would no longer be a prisoner. She needed to be free and most importantly she needed someone to be there for her in the end.

"My sister hates me." It took her a while to say that but she had to say it.

"I'm sure she doesn't..." Anna tried to remain comforting. The space between herself and Elsa had almost disappeared. They were sitting next to each other, Anna's hand resting on Elsa's back.

"You don't understand. She hates me! She blames me for everything!" And all of the sudden, everything Elsa held inside erupted; years of blaming herself, of holding back, of guilt and self-shaming because she felt responsible. "I'm the reason my mother is dead. I'm to blame and she knows it, she has every right to hate me. They all do!" Her sobs turned into loud cries, she wondered how she was even able to speak at all. Of course, it all took Anna by surprise. She felt heartbroken. The now small girl sitting next to her was a complete mess, she was hurt and vulnerable. She needed to protect her and hug her. She wanted to repair her, take away everything that made her suffer, or anyone that hurt her. Seeing Elsa like that drove her insane, she would go beyond anything to make it all go away, but she couldn't. All she could do was be there for her, pull her into her arms, her small body now shut off from everything, cuddled into a ball in her arms. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but Elsa's current breakdown explained it all. She now understood her past behavior on current situations. She acted the way she did because she was hurt.

Again, it was just as if Elsa read her mind. She spoke again. "It was all my fault, if not for me, my mother would still be alive and my father and my sister wouldn't blame me. They wouldn't hate me..." The last part was said quietly, as if it hurt her to admit it. She mustered enough strength to finally spill everything out. She told Anna about the incident, how everything was almost so perfectly planned out. How instead of being ruled and accident by her family, they felt she did it on purpose and blamed her. She lost her family back then; she was alone and she did not know any other way. That's why she pushed everyone away, that's why she was a bitch. Anna had to know it, she had to hear everything and she did. She listened to her confession, she heard Elsa tell her about the reason why she decided to become close to her. Anna needed to hear that she only became her friend because she needed to keep her away from Carlos, as selfish and as crazy as that sounded. It was enough of keeping it all in. It was the most talking she had done in a while, about personal stuff anyway. But Anna didn't say anything; she didn't expect her to after everything she had told her. She only felt the girl's embrace, and every once in a while she felt Anna hug her tighter. She was glad for it though, it made her feel safe and glad that she finally spoke of it. The redhead kept hugging her, it had been a while but they both felt at home as they were, even if for the most awkward reasons.

"It's not your fault." Anna finally said, her right arm making circles on Elsa's back. She then moved it a bit further to play with her hair, she wanted to do so much more but that was all she could. "Guilt is subjective, Elsa. You can think you're guilty, which you probably do and I bet you'll feel guilty for the rest of your life and I also bet you feel like nothing will change that, not even your sister's and your father's forgiveness but to the world, you're innocent. They don't blame you for anything; I don't blame you for anything. You're not guilty to me. I care for you and I'm telling you, no matter what happened, you're innocent. It's not your fault." Anna's words brought more comfort than she had imagined. It felt nice having her to tell her everything was okay, to feel her next to her. "And you know what?" Anna continued, "I'm glad I got to know you. I'm glad we got paired as roommates even if we hated each other in the beginning," she made a pause and a small chuckle escaped her. "Hell, I'm even glad you decided that getting me away from Carlos was a good reason to become my friend."

Elsa finally looked up, staring at Anna in disbelief. "Really?" How could Anna be glad about that? "Wh- Why?"

Anna smiled and that brought her back to her safe place. "Remember how you told me, back when we spent the weekend at your country house, that everything we ever did was because we were selfish?" Elsa nodded, "and you said that you were a selfish person, remember that?" Of course Elsa remembered; the memory played too vividly in her head. "Also, remember how I told you that it'd become my life mission to prove you wrong?" She now had a smirk on her face, and even though Elsa hated being proved wrong, Anna's expression was priceless. "You're not selfish, Elsa. You became my friend even when you could gain nothing out of our friendship. You became my friend because you wanted to protect me from Carlos, and even though I didn't understand why back then, I have to say... That is the most selfless thing anyone has ever done for me."

There was nothing left to say, nothing either of them could say. They looked into each other's eyes, sights locked. It was as if they spoke to each other without speaking any more. They spoke in feelings, and they both felt the need of a proper hug. It was inevitable; they ran into each other's arms, wanting it to last forever.

* * *

"Well, looks who's finally awake." Idunn smiled at the girls as they both made it down the stairs. Calling it a weird day would be an understatement, but that's what it was, in a good way at least. Elsa was full of surprises. Anna didn't understand how she ever contemplated staying away from her, it was impossible. "We were about to start dinner without you, it's quite late you know?" Anna's dad ran his hand over his stomach, jokingly exaggerating.

"Oh, please. You probably had a snack." Anna said as she walked lazily into the dining room. After a few hours of confessing everything but their feelings towards each other, crying, and bonding, both girls felt tired and inevitably fell asleep. She was about to protest further but the sensation of Elsa's fingers intertwining with hers and the sudden grip of her hand interrupted her. With a surprised look on her face, she turned to Elsa who gave her the 'don't-forget-to-play-along' smile. How could a human being make her forget everything else existed? That was one of the million things she loved about Elsa. It was impossible for anyone not to love her. It was impossible for her not to lover her, most of all. She couldn't stop loving her, even when she had disliked her; part of her still loved her.

Aside from weird, it had also been a good day. She saw the girl holding her hand as someone else entirely, she still had the essence of the girl she fell for since the beginning, but she was more open now; their bond strengthened. She smiled as they all sat in the table; she looked at Elsa who smiled back at her. They both knew something had changed, but unfortunately it was not the status of their relationship that did.

* * *

**AN:** My apologies for the delay. I'm finding the more recent chapters harder to write because there's much more detail in them. That and, you can't really force inspiration ;)

Three things:

1. Many thanks to Reflectedd for beta-ing this chapter. (The quality just got better, so thanks for that!)

is the 20th chapter, can you guys believe that?! Thanks for the support. I guess chapter 20 will be known as the chapter in which Elsa finally let it go. Hehe.

3. There's a little more than a hundred of you following this story and it makes me one of the happiest persons alive. Thank you guys so much! I'd love to hear from you all.

I'll stop talking now. Enjoy!


	21. Chapter 21

**Because some of you asked for it...**

* * *

"Psst, Elsa. Wake up!" A soft whisper woke her up. The room was still a bit dark so she figured it was still early. She tried to ignore the voice but even then it kept on insisting. Her eyes were finally open, although she could not stop herself from blinking slowly. "It's 6:00AM c'mon." Everything was still a bit of a blur, her eyes had not adjusted quite yet but by the flashes of red she could see every time her eyes remained opened enough, she knew Anna was trying to get her up.

"Let it be seven, or eight. What's so special about six?" She pushed herself up on her arms. If she really needed to wake up she couldn't remain lying down.

A giggle filled the silence in the room, it echoed in her ears. Memories from the previous night came running to her, and inevitably the blush on her face. She did not understand her body's reaction; after all she had shared everything she kept hidden with Anna, except about how she really felt. And then it clicked.

No wonder she couldn't get up, she had slept like she never had before; more relaxed than ever. But what made the difference? She knew the answer immediately.

After they made their way into Anna's room the previous night, Anna proceeded in telling Elsa her life story. Her childhood incidents, her school memories, the countless number of times she got in trouble. She talked about Kristoff and all the crushes she had. She talked and Elsa would interrupt her from time to time, usually making some witty remark. In the end they both just couldn't help but share a laugh. It continued that way until very late at night, sometime shortly after midnight. When their eyes began to feel heavy and their thoughts became almost incoherent, they decided it was time to head back into bed.

"We've spent the majority of the day lying in bed and in your room." Elsa said as she yawned and got under the covers.

"Yeah, yeah. It's called thanksgiving vacation for a reason." The redhead stood up to close the doors leading to the bathroom and the closet.

"What? Are you scared a monster is going to get you?" Elsa couldn't help but laugh at the look of annoyance on Anna's face. "I'm kidding." She finally said after Anna pretended to stay mad.

The younger girl then walked back to her side of the bed. Like the previous night, she remained as far from Elsa as she could, although she wasn't afraid of completely drifting off to sleep and losing control of her reactions. She waited a few seconds before turning off the lamp, she stared at the ceiling. "What a day, huh?" She turned her head to the left, she had to look at Elsa. The blonde only nodded and smiled. That was her cue; it was time to really go to sleep. The thought of what happened just a few hours ago remained with her, even after the lights went out and it was almost completely dark. She knew that must have been a hell of a fight for Elsa and that gave her a smile. It was a small victory, after all.

"Thanks, Anna." Elsa had said softly. The redhead believed Elsa had fallen asleep, yet there she was. She heard the other girl's body shift.

"Anytime, Els. Anytime." She yawned again but Elsa continued talking, her voice was becoming almost inaudible.

"You have no idea how much this really means to me... To finally have someone's acceptance." Anna realized that it wasn't often that Elsa said words like that. Her voice was becoming distant, as if afraid to be heard.

Anna wanted to say so much. She wanted to make Elsa believe in herself, her innocence. "Mhmm..." The words she wanted to say remained in her head, her body was reacting too slow for her speech to process.

Elsa noticed and smiled to herself. She turned back around to face Anna again. Her eyes were no longer open and she knew she was trying really hard to stay awake. She noticed her tense body and how far in the edge she remained again. Elsa had never been the type to be spontaneous; everything she did was because she needed to and because she had planned it before hand. As she lay there however, she debated the consequences of what her actions could bring. She couldn't stop herself, she craved the other girl's embrace and before she realized, it was too late to stop herself from moving forward. She scooted in closer to Anna, the redhead was still somewhat conscious even if she was almost asleep. Elsa grabbed the arm farthest from her and pulled it over herself, along with Anna, who seemed to have awoken after the contact.

"Elsa... What- what's wrong?" She was more tired than confused which caused her to slowly pull away.

"I need it, Anna. Please?" She needn't say more, her voice was pleading and Anna complied. She stopped fighting and trying to pull away as soon as Elsa consented. Turning to her left side, she wrapped her arm over Elsa's while at the same time pulling her back towards her chest.

They spent the whole night like that. Well, the few hours that they'd managed to sleep. Why was Anna up so early anyway?

"Anna. It's six?" She said with an inquiring tone, to which Anna smiled. She let go of the blonde's hand, she'd been holding it since they went to sleep. Elsa noticed and pulled it back towards herself, a bit shy with the contact.

"Wow Els. You're braking out of habit, aren't you?" Anna tried hard to put an astonished look on her face.

_Oh, shit. A morning run._

"I'm not letting you go back to sleep." Anna continued as she noticed Elsa's eyes beginning to close again. She stood up, walked around the bed and looked at Elsa's long figure. She examined the best angle, and after a few seconds she grabbed Elsa's hands and pulled her. Elsa's eyes quickly flew open, a bit scared at the anticipation of what Anna could do.

"I'm up. I'm up!" She protested, yawning as she walked to find some clothes.

"Great, I'll be downstairs." Anna stood in her spot for a while, arms crossed against her chest and an excited smile. Why was she happier than usual?

* * *

"Anna, how are we going to go for a run with this snow?" Elsa dragged her feet on the ice coating.

"Relax, Elsa it's not that bad." Anna was obviously too excited. Elsa knew that it could snow for a year, non-stop, and Anna would still be excited about it every day.

The redhead pulled Elsa's hand, encouraging to keep going around the park, but the blonde was still hesitant. "C'mon, Elsa. You need something more interesting in your life," she mocked the girl's comment on her taste of TV shows, but Elsa was too preoccupied with the snow that she didn't notice. Maybe Anna needed to find a different approach. She walked around her in circles."See, it's not that bad." She attempted to increase her speed just to prove her point and it seemed to be working because Elsa was staring at her like a complete idiot. Anna didn't stop, Elsa's smile was worth it and so she kept running around her.

As she almost made another complete circle in front of her, the somewhat melted snow she had been stepping on became more slippery and as a result, it became harder for her to calculate her steps. She almost made it in front of Elsa when suddenly her foot slipped back instead of remaining in place. Luckily for her, Elsa was close enough to grab on to. In the heat of the moment, Anna held onto her arm with more force than she meant to. Maybe the fall had increased her momentum and Elsa was falling down with her, or rather she was falling down on Elsa. The whole incident took less than two seconds, but the way they stared at each other while on the ground, with their faces closer than ever, took an eternity. Taking their eyes off of each other was impossible; they were locked then and there, hypnotized. Anna knew she had to get up, but she didn't and Elsa didn't seem to mind. She didn't push her away or protested in anyway, so why should she get up? The moment was perfect; she didn't need to ruin it. Maybe it was too perfect for...

Anna's phone began to ring, causing her to jerk her body up immediately. Both girls became aware of their surroundings and blushed as they came back to reality.

"Hello." Anna stood up awkwardly and walked a few feet away as she answered her phone, she needed to avoid the look on Elsa's face. "Oh, yeah mom. I figured. Say hi to them for me. Tell them we'll miss them at thanksgiving." Elsa stared at the girl in wonder. She couldn't believe what could have happened had she not received the call. She tried not to think about it much, but it was inevitable, and she had done nothing to stop it...

"So... My parents will be heading out of town today but they should be back tomorrow." Anna stated awkwardly, fidgeting with her phone.

"Something came up?" Elsa asked, knowing Anna wanted to avoid the other topic, diverting her eyes.

"My uncle and his family won't be here for thanksgiving, so they'll be visiting them and taking some food. I told you, my parents are kind of weird. They're taking a whole turkey!" Elsa smiled at her, shaking the snow off her jacket and struggling to get the white beanie in place. Anna fought hard to restrain herself from helping her.

"I'm sorry about that... I've made you get all wet. We should probably head back home." Elsa couldn't be happier to comply.

* * *

"I'll make breakfast while you hop into the shower." Anna had said as they walked into the house. Elsa didn't bother arguing, she needed the shower after what had just happened.

Elsa walked into the kitchen immediately after her shower. Anna was still busy in the kitchen, which explained the scent of chocolate all over the house.

"Smells really good in here." She said as she inhaled. Anna had not noticed Elsa walk into the kitchen, or the way she stared at her enthusiastically as the redhead tried to place the egg omelet perfectly on a plate.

"Let's just hope it tastes as good as it smells." Anna walked with the plate carefully in her hands, she didn't want to burn herself, much less make a mess out of it. She could be clumsy sometimes.

"Please, I wouldn't mind having you as my personal chef." Elsa examined the plate carefully.

_Oh how I wish you had me like something else._

"I'm guessing that smell is-"

"Hot chocolate." Anna finished her sentence before she could, they both shared a laugh.

"Hey, Els?" Anna asked suddenly after taking a sip from her mug.

"Yes?" The blonde responded naturally, calculating where her next bite should be.

"Do you like theater? Like play theater, not movie theater..."

"I love the theater." Elsa swallowed the last few bites she still had in her mouth.

"Well, then you'll be having lots of fun today."

"I had no idea you were into plays, Anna." She shot Anna a confused look.

The redhead smiled wickedly before she replied. "This is different. You have no idea what you're in for."

"Should I be scared?" A little part of her was, she never really knew what Anna was up to but another part of her was happy to spend the day with her. She wondered when was the exact moment that things started to change for her. Specifically, she wondered, when she started having feelings for Anna. Feelings she was still confused about but feelings nonetheless. Maybe she felt that way before she even became aware of them. The words Anna said replayed in her head; she really had no idea what she was in for, but it was a hell of a ride. Anna usually was.

"What are you staring at me for?" Anna asked, the fork on her hand suspended near her mouth. Elsa was too into her thoughts to notice she'd been staring like an idiot the whole time. She looked away shyly which gave Anna the best opportunity for some payback. "You know, Elsa? If I didn't know any better I'd think you were staring at me." The memory of the meeting at North Aim came rushing immediately.

"Are you mocking me?" Elsa asked jokingly.

"I don't know, Elsa. Do you find me intimidating?" She continued. She couldn't help herself, she was having too much fun, the look on Elsa's red face was priceless. Little did she know that it was because Elsa had actually been caught red handed.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding! You should have seen your face." Anna finished with a laugh. To which Elsa only responded with a push. "Hey don't try to push me off the table, I'm eating here!"

"You deserve it." The blonde picked up her plate and placed it in the sink, Anna turned her head to follow her movements.

"So what you're saying is... I should have pushed you back then?" She had an endearing smile.

"I'm saying I wasn't mocking you so it's fair."

"Fine, fine." Anna shook her head. There was no point in arguing further. Elsa was right, she usually always was.

"Listen, I have some things to do online so I'll be in the living room if you don't mind." She dried her hands on the towel and leaned against the counter, looking at Anna while she finished eating.

"Knock yourself out, I'll be in the garage looking for some stuff."

The latter half of the morning was spent like that, Elsa on her laptop and Anna looking through old stuff. Neither realized it was passed noon, not that it was easy to tell, the sun hadn't shone since the last days they'd been there. Anna was the first to notice; a Facebook notification forced her to have a look at her phone and thus a look at the time. She dropped the box she was holding and quickly ran up the stairs, not even bothering to look at Elsa who was probably too busy doing whatever she needed to do. The blonde didn't even notice when a flash of red walked through the house and made her way up the stairs.

_Alright, I have two hours to get ready and a few minutes to shower._

Anna thought before she opened the door into her room. She looked for a towel and some clothes. She stopped before her closet; she really needed to look good, even if she didn't know why she needed to. Before she even tried to think of a reason, Elsa's name popped into her mind.

_Of course, why else?_ She smacked her forehead as she remembered, even though she felt a bit stupid for doing so. She couldn't deny it though, it was impossible; Elsa was the only reason.

After ten minutes she had an outfit ready to go and placed on the arm chair.

_That took longer than usual._

She walked into the bathroom and looked around for a place to hang her towel. Elsa's was already in there, folded perfectly and hanging effortlessly. She placed hers next to the blonde's and couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Even though there was a big difference in color contrast, in softness, and in the way they were folded, one more neatly than the other, the match couldn't be any more perfect. Anna loved the view and felt a little ashamed for staring at them longer than necessary. She let the shower run after contemplating on a bath instead but decided that would take too much time. She undressed herself in no time. Anticipation of what the day would be like took over her. She was a bit afraid Elsa would not like what she had planned, knowing she was always very... She tried to look for the right words... Very lady-like and formal. Maybe today would be the day she'd get her to go out of her comfort zone.

The shower had ran for too long, obviously too hot by the way the fog was clouding the bathroom, especially the mirror. She stepped out of the shower and was about to grab her towel but was abruptly stopped by the squeaking of the door, she suddenly froze.

_Why was someone trying to come into her bathroom?_

She didn't have time to answer that question, nor did she have time to cover her naked body. A certain blonde had already opened the door and was standing under the threshold, awestruck and speechless. Neither of them knew how to proceed. Anna knew she needed to grab the towel and wrap it around herself, but her brain stopped functioning and Elsa's was even worse.

"Elsa..." Anna said softly, shifting her eyes from the blonde to the door and to the blonde again.

Elsa shook the surprise look on her face away. "I'm so sorry... I- I didn't know you were in here."

"No, no, no. It's totally fine." She looked around again. "I keep forgetting I'm not alone and forget to lock the door." She couldn't bring herself to move even a finger, neither did Elsa but the situation finally registered in her head and she quickly grabbed the door handle and shut the door, faster than she expected.

She leaned against it. What else could she do now? That was definitely a sight she had not expected, but deep inside her, there was a part that was glad she did.

* * *

"Okay, here's the thing. There will actually be a play but it's different than other plays." Anna said excitedly and she jumped around in her seat, her hands moved every which way, as did her eyes. Elsa loved the way the grin played on the redhead's face.

"What do you mean different than other plays?" She was curious.

"I don't want to tell you because I'm afraid you'll walk out." That declaration made Elsa a bit nervous. Would it really be so bad that she'd want to walk out?

"Anna... Please tell me you didn't bring me to a strip club or something..." Her tone was serious but Anna couldn't help but laugh at the girl's imagination.

"No, no." She couldn't stop laughing. "I'll tell you." Another laugh and she had to catch her breath. "I'll tell you if you promise not to leave."

Elsa had to think about it for a second. She would have walked out then and there but she couldn't leave Anna there by herself, especially after the girl had planned it out. It was Anna, she couldn't just ditch Anna. "Fine, I promise."

Anna gave her a suspicious look but finally decided to tell her. "Okay, there's a reason why we have popcorn. And no, it's not to eat it. Well you can eat it, but it serves another purpose." Elsa looked at her confusedly, eyebrow raised. "You're supposed to throw the popcorn at the actors."

"That's- How? Why? That's rude." Elsa protested. That was the reaction Anna expected of her. Elsa didn't know how to act differently, or crazy.

"Don't worry, Elsa. You're encouraged to do so, that's the fun of it. You can mock the actors all you want." Elsa continued to look at her with disbelief, not that she didn't believe her but rather she did not believe she could do that. It was... spontaneous. Why would she want to throw popcorn at people? Couldn't she just enjoy a normal play?

"A movie would have been much better." She crossed her arms and pretended to be annoyed.

"Oh, c'mon. We've watched too many movies already. Plus this is so much fun. Trust me, you'll enjoy it." Anna reassured her by grabbing her hand and giving it a light squeeze. Elsa looked down at their hands and then into her eyes.

The play lasted a good amount of time, but it wasn't as long as either of them expected. Elsa thought she would dread it, but Anna was right, she was having fun. Anna's presence made it a lot better and she found herself throwing popcorn and running out of it soon enough. Anna noticed and gave her a thumbs up. "Was that really so hard?" She leaned closer and whispered into her ear. Why was Anna making her feel _things_ today. Her body shivered before Anna pulled away again. Luckily she was too preoccupied with the play to notice Elsa's reaction. Despite all the fun she was having, she could not wait to get out of there. She needed some distance before she did something crazy.

The slow drive home was filled with weather reports on the radio and commentary from Anna. 'Did you see that guy?" Or 'I can't believe that happened.' Elsa knew Anna had enjoyed their date, and she had enjoyed it too.

_Wait what... Did I just call it a date?!_

_What's with me today?_

Anna suddenly stopped talking and that's when she realized she had been asked a question. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Wow, Elsa. First time you're actually not paying attention. What's on your mind?" Anna asked as she pulled into the garage. It was getting dark outside and the house looked dark, which made sense since it was completely empty.

"Nothing much. I guess I'm just a bit tired. We did just get a few hours of sleep last night, after all. With you waking me up early and all." She looked at her accusingly but Anna knew she was kidding.

"It's your fault for getting me into the habit." Anna pointed out and they both got out of the car.

The rest of the day went by like a flash. As soon as they got home, they made their way upstairs. It was awkward not having anyone around, especially for Anna since she was used to the noise and crazy company that were her parents. Having Elsa around was a completely different type of experience.

Both girls decided that it would be best to retire, especially if they planned to go for a run early next morning.

Elsa was shocked when Anna suggested she could now sleep in the guest room and stop pretending.

"Listen, Elsa. I'm not kicking you out or anything but my parents aren't here so we don't have to put up a show." She had said nothing more, but she fully understood what Anna had said. Anna believed they didn't have to pretend anymore, but they did. Or at least, Elsa had to. She had to pretend that she was happy with that decision; she had to pretend she didn't enjoy being close to Anna and sharing her bed. Most of all, she had to pretend that she was still pretending, at least when her parents were involved.

It felt strange lying in bed without Anna by her side. She thought about the countless number of times she'd done it before, and the number of times she'd have to do it after they went back to campus. She didn't like to think about it. If only Anna could be by her side at all times. She'd grown too close to her in just a few days. She was all she could think about, especially that day. The day's events came back to her as she lay on her back. The bed felt different, less soft and comfortable. But she knew the real reason.

She remembered how close Anna's face had been to hers earlier that morning, and how her body had hovered over hers longer than was necessary. She wanted Anna to remain like that for a while longer but that stupid phone call... She remembered how she couldn't help but stare at Anna every once in a while at the theater, or rather every few seconds. She was surprised Anna had not noticed her eyes on her. Inevitably, she couldn't erase what she'd seen a few hours before, and she didn't want to. Even if she did, she couldn't. It was just as if she'd been hypnotized. Anna's naked body was tattooed on her mind.

She tried to shift her body, only to realize the warm sensation between her legs, and the way she'd squished them together without even noticing. Was Anna really making her feel that way? They weren't even in the same room and she had the power to make her wet. If she was confused about how she felt for Anna before, it was more than clear now.

She tried to ignore what her body was hungrily craving, but it was impossible. The image of Anna's body kept coming to her, like a perfect painting occupying and entire wall at a gallery. It was truly captivating. Her lower area felt tingly. How could it not? She replayed the memory again, she couldn't fight it any longer. She loved Anna's perfect shape. Her hips, her waist, how her freckles ran all over her body. She would love nothing more but to explore her all by herself and get lost in her; just like a boat at sea, examining every freckle like a treasure. But she couldn't, Anna was in the next room and she could do nothing more but explore her own body.

She placed her hand under her panties before she could even notice what she was about to do. She didn't care, she had given in to the urge a long time ago. She felt the moisture as she rubbed her hand up and down, feeling herself and enjoying the build up. The more she thought about Anna, the faster her hand moved, separating her lips and running over her folds.

_Anna's thighs._

_Anna's curves._

_Anna's breasts._

She was just perfect. She was all she needed.

She noticed her nipples become erect as she ran her hand over her own breasts. Oh how she wished it was Anna doing all of that to her instead, or the other way around. She didn't mind at all, as long as Anna was involved. But she wasn't, she was just in her head and part of her desire.

"Anna."

"Anna."

"Anna."

"Anna."

"Anna..."

She needed to say her name, even if a few moans escaped. She needed to make it real, needed to taste the way her name felt in her mouth after the thought of her brought her nothing but pleasure.

She said it a few more times, the warmth spreading all through her body as her fingers did all the work. Her moans became louder, but she didn't care, she had to let go. She pictured Anna's lips and remembered the way the redhead had kissed her at her country house, and the kiss they had shared in front of Idunn and Ygrette and that was all she needed to let it all go. She called Anna's name one last time as her body felt the release of pure ecstasy.

* * *

**AN: **So...comments?

Shout out to Reflectedd for beta-ing!


	22. Chapter 22

_I can't believe I signed up for this._

It was only in rare occasions that nervousness got the best of her. She ran her fingers through her hair. This was one of those occasions. Not knowing what could happen in the future, or in certain circumstances, made her terribly nervous. Taking risks had never been her strong suit; everything had to be calculated, down to the smallest detail. But that fear of uncertainty and unpredictability was nothing compared to what she was feeling now. Spending five days at the Aldridge residence was everything she'd hoped for, everything she'd wanted. Obviously, she never expected to be Anna's "girlfriend" for a week until the redhead's parents put the offer on the table and she impulsively accepted. Sure, she didn't mind, she loved it in fact but she never thought it would come to this.

She continued to mess with her hair. She'd never had that much trouble with it before, why did it decide to start acting up today? The braid everyone was accustomed to seeing was far from perfect today. Her hands were beginning to sweat and she finally decided to leave it down.

_It doesn't matter, it just thanksgiving dinner, after all._

"Has anyone ever told you you have the most beautiful hair?" Elsa hadn't notice the girl standing behind her until now. She turned around to find Anna looking at her amusingly. She was wearing a green dress which made her freckles and her red hair stand out, revealing a big portion of her shoulders and, she assumed, a big portion of her back as well. Elsa knew then and there, it would be Anna's night. Part of her hair was perfectly made into a braid, running around her head and then made into a bun. She loved the way her silver stripe of hair become more noticeable that way, she really did. She looked at Anna, diverting her eyes quickly at the realization that she had yet to answer her question.

"Umm... Thanks but it's actually just a mess today." She chuckled.

"Nonsense, you should let it down more often." She didn't notice the moment Anna lifted her arm and used her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind the blonde's ear. Nor the moment it ran down the length of her arm. The short amount of contact between Anna's hand and her arm made her shiver, she knew Anna noticed.

The redhead pulled her hand back after the realization. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

She thought about an excuse but nothing came up. "Honestly, I don't know." Elsa blushed.

"Oh, man... Elsa, are you nervous?" Anna asked with a smirk on her face.

"Maybe..."

_But not for the reason that you think..._

Nervous was an understatement, and now it was even worse. She recalled the night that Anna, or rather the image of Anna, had brought her so much pleasure. She tried to force out the thoughts that followed, how she desperately fantasized about her and how difficult it had been to hold herself back after her parents came back and they had to go back to sleeping in the same room. Having her that close and not doing anything about it had been one of the most difficult things she'd ever have to do.

"What are you so nervous about? You rarely get nervous, Ms. I'm-All-That." Anna laughed.

"Oh, please. I'm not that cocky, am I?" Elsa actually wanted to know.

"No, no. You're just confident and it's sexy as hell." Anna wished she could take her words back as soon as she said them. She mentally slapped the top of her head.

_Ugh, this is why you think of what you're going to say before you say it!_

Elsa only smiled and succeeded on pulling off an arrogant look on her face.

"Did you just..." Anna looked at the girl in front of her with admiration. Elsa was confident and she knew it.

"You're really gullible, Anna." Elsa said as she turned back around to face the mirror, Anna still behind her.

"Aren't we all though?" She shrugged. "Now tell me what had you so nervous, or is that all an act too?"

Elsa's expression changed at the reminder. "This dinner," she quickly blurted out.

"Elsa, it's just dinner. I bet you've been to thousands of them before." She put her hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"None of the dinners I've been too involve your extended family—"

"—right... And you're also not pretending to be my girlfriend in most of them." Anna finished her sentence. She pouted. After thinking for a few seconds, she spoke again. "Maybe your idea wouldn't be such a bad idea right now. I mean, maybe it'll just make you feel better."

Elsa turned around to face Anna again. "Anna, what are you talking about?" She didn't have the slightest clue.

"Maybe we should just confess that this is all a ruse. We're just doing it because of my parents right? There's no other use." That completely caught Elsa by surprise, and it definitely got her thinking. Anna was right, there was no reason to continue the lie, even if it wasn't a lie on her part but surely Anna was sick of pretending, and doing so in a bigger crowd would be even more tiring.

"Okay." That was Elsa's only response, much to Anna's disappointment. "But we shouldn't just come out and say it," she continued after some thought. "Maybe later throughout the night, when all attention is on us... Then, we'll tell them."

Anna nodded, clearly not the answer she was expecting. It didn't take long before she walked out of the room.

_Well, that was strange._

She had yet to put on her outfit for tonight, definitely behind schedule. Today was not her day, she was sure about it.

* * *

"Ready for tonight?" Kristoff almost yelled as he exited his house, spotting Anna on her porch. She looked his way and waved.

"I feel like I haven't talked to you in ages." Anna said as he walked to her from across the yard.

"Right? We live right next to each other and we don't even talk that much anymore. Of course I'm busy with Ygrette and you... You're busy with Elsa." That quickly caught Anna's attention. "Why do you look like that after I mention her name?" He noticed Anna's pout immediately. "I thought you two were better than okay, I mean sure, you're just pretending but at least it's what you wanted right?" He sat by her.

"Yes, you're right, except we're telling my entire family it's all an act." She sighed.

"Your decision or hers?" He looked at her attentively.

"Well... I asked her and she said yes so I guess it's a decision that we both made."

"Cheer up, Anna. At least you'll still be friends." He rubbed her arm.

"That's better than nothing, although it looks like I've got competition." She leaned on his shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"This guy at work. His name is Hans, apparently he wants to date her." She sank deeper into his shoulder.

"Maybe you're just over thinking things and he's just being friendly." He said reassuringly.

"No. She told me."

"Oh." That 'oh' lingered longer than necessary and Anna knew that Kristoff also understood there was no hope for her.

"But tell me, how's Ygrette?" She tried to change the conversation into something more uplifting.

"Ah! She's great. My family loves her. I love her. She loves me. Everything is going well."

Anna wondered whether Ygrette kept anything from Kristoff just like Elsa had kept so much from her. Maybe Ygrette had so much bottled inside as well, of course she had a different way of showing it but she was sure neither of them knew what a family really was, or what it stood for.

They both looked around as a phone vibrated, it was Anna's. "That's great Kristoff. It's good to finally see you get settled." She looked at the phone screen.

"Yeah. I guess she's the one I was looking for this whole time. She's changed me in some way." Kristoff seemed much more enthusiastic than before.

"It must be nice having her over for dinner, especially during thanksgiving." Her phone vibrated again.

"Oh yeah definitely, you kn-" Kristoff was interrupted before he could finish that sentence.

"Sorry, Kris! I should go inside, it's getting late. Talk to you later okay? And have fun tonight!" She stood up quickly, unable to stop staring at her phone. Kristoff only laughed as she walked into her house.

* * *

"Honey, our guests will be here soon!" Elsa heard Idunn's clear yelling even though she was in the bathroom. She had finally made a decision on what to wear: a blue and white striped blouse accompanied by a gray blazer and a white pair of skinny jeans. It was too cold to wear anything else. Idunn kept screaming, Elsa decided to exit the bathroom and make sure Anna was paying attention.

She found the redhead sitting at the edge of her bed, too entertained on her phone to make out the distant voice of her mother.

"Anna." The girl didn't hear her, she continued to type on her phone. "Hey, Anna." She tried a bit louder and this time the red heard lifted her gaze to see her.

"Oh, hey Els. Wow, you look good!" Anna looked surprised.

"Thanks. Listen, have you been here all along? I think your mom's been calling you." Elsa asked with a rather confused look on her face. Anna was acting weird.

"Oh, has she? I guess I better go check on her." Anna stood up and walked towards the door but was stopped from twisting the door handle when Elsa spoke again.

"Actually, she just said that the guests will be here soon."

Anna put on a straight face, thinking. "I guess we better go down there, huh?"

"You don't seem too happy..."

"Well, it's not every thanksgiving that you tell your whole family you've been lying." Elsa remained silent, Anna was right but she had been the one to suggest it in the first place. Isn't that what Anna wanted? To stop lying? "Anyway, let's not dwell on it. Let's just go down there and get it over with. What needs to happen will happen." She looked down at her phone then nodded her head towards the door, gesturing their exit.

* * *

"So then I tell him, "No! Once you get it, you take it!"" Everyone around the room started laughing. There was a countless number of people in the kitchen and even more in the living room. Elsa didn't understand how so many people could fit in one house, much less how all of them were somehow related; talk about big families. It was two hours since the girls made their way downstairs, people started arriving in no time at all and soon enough the house was filled. Everyone had a story to tell, long ones at that. "Remember when" and "that one time" were recurring sentences.

Dinner started a bit later than usual as well, it was difficult to get everyone settled all at once but eventually everyone found a place to sit and have dinner. Many conversations went around the house but it was usually the loudest person that would gain everyone's attention. The number of memories this family had were countless and quite entertaining, to Elsa at least. It had been a while since she felt that she was actually enjoying herself. People talked to her as if she was part of the family, as if they'd known her for years. They asked about school and work. Eventually they also asked about Anna and herself, which she managed to reply to without giving their plan away. The more that went on, the more she regretted their decision, but she had to keep her word.

"Isn't she a crazy one?" One of Anna's cousins asked her as she placed her plate on the table and sat next to Elsa.

"Crazy? Not at all, she's way more than crazy." Elsa answered, eyed the rest of the table and unable to find Anna. Maybe she was still getting herself a plate.

"Consider yourself lucky for not dealing with her as a child! You have no idea how much trouble she used to get us into."

Elsa smiled, "trust me, I believe you. I'm her roommate after all," she said it matter-of-factly.

"Oh, and from what I hear you're also more than that?" The girl winked.

_Here we go again._

"Is it too late to deny that?" Elsa asked jokingly, there was no way Anna's family could take that comment seriously.

"There's no backing out with Anna! We've all tried." She laughed. "Right, Anna?" They both looked again to find Anna, she was finally sitting across the table from them, a few seats away. The dinning room was definitely packed. Anna looked up momentarily to look at them, she was caught by surprise. Elsa stared at her, why was she so distant all of the sudden? She was never on her phone that much.

"What was that Rapunzel? Sorry, I didn't hear." Anna asked again.

"Leave your phone alone, Anna. It's thanksgiving." She flipped her blonde hair dramatically.

"Oh please, look who's talking. You're on your phone all the time." She continued to talk as she typed on her phone screen.

"Not on a holiday!" Rapunzel almost screamed, regardless no one else seemed to mind, chatter filled the room.

"Shh." Was all Anna said before looking back down at her phone again. Elsa made it her mission to find out what was going on with her, but not now. There was no way she could do it now, people would find it weird. Plus everyone decided to talk to her all of the sudden, leaving her no time to even eat her food. She loved it though.

By the time dessert came around, the table had finally managed to clear up a bit. Everyone decided to move to the living room or to the backyard. Elsa found it the best time to go and sit next to Anna.

"You've been silent tonight." She leaned on the table, using her hands to support the weight of her head.

"Have I? Really?" Anna smiled shyly.

"What you haven't noticed? Look you've barely eaten." Anna looked down at her plate and then at Elsa. She tried to come up with a good reason but she really couldn't.

"We'll have a lot of leftovers. I'm not missing anything, don't worry," was all she could say.

"Don't mind me but what's gotten into you all of the sudden?" Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"You won't belie-" Anna started but was suddenly interrupted.

"Ah, here are my favorite girls." Anna's father grabbed each of the girls' shoulders. "Come, your mom has been telling the whole family about you two and they want to know more. So who better than you two, right?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Dad... seriously?"

"Come on, Anna. Don't tell me you don't love the attention, you always do," her father said playfully. Both girls stood up before eyeing each other. Elsa shrugged and opened her arms, would this be the time they would tell them? Anna shook her head. That was a no.

"Yes, yes. I even took a picture of the two. Remind me to show you later, they were adorable!" Elsa turned red as they entered the living room and everyone turned to stare. Why did everyone decide to stop talking all of the sudden? Was this really necessary? "Oh, there they are!" Elsa smiled courteously and Anna acted indifferent, she knew her family too well.

"We finally get to meet the lucky lady, huh?" Someone screamed from the other end of the room.

"Believe me, the only lucky person in here is me." Anna laughed as she said it. A lot of 'aww's' were heard throughout the room. "What? It's true."

"What'd it take so long for us to meet her? I mean she's perfect." Rapunzel asked, a few others nodded in agreement.

"What is this, a family intervention? Why is everyone so interested all of the sudden?" Anna asked.

"Cause she's been a mystery for the longest time, Anna," her mother said. Elsa realized they were getting deeper into their lie, didn't they plan to do the opposite?

"Well, here she is." Anna grabbed Elsa's hand and led her into one of the empty couches. It was going to be a hell of a night.

* * *

After a few more of their made up stories, everyone who had been enthusiastically paying attention, decided to either join the other people outside in the backyard or in the kitchen. A lot of them seemed to have had too much to drink, Elsa included. As hard as she tried to deny a drink from anyone, it was impossible. Anna had managed to evade her many times, and after finishing her last glass of red wine, she spotted a certain redhead exiting the front door.

_Well, now that's strange._

She followed her instinctively. She tried to rush; Anna needed to explain not only what they had planned but also her behavior. Many people got in the way, but she finally made it out the door.

"Can I finally talk to you?" Elsa sat on the porch, next to Anna. She was staring nowhere in particular, phone in her hands. Elsa looked down and noticed.

"Sure, what's up? It's crazy in there, huh?" She smiled.

"You know what's even more crazy?" Elsa asked. "You acting different." She said before Anna had a chance to acknowledge her question.

"I know, I'm sorry. I've just... I didn't expect th-"

"I understand, this seems like too much to handle. Maybe that's why telling the truth will be a good idea." Elsa sighed.

"No. That's not what I'm talking about. Well... Yes, we should tell them the truth, and we will later tonight but- that's not what I was referring to."

"Oh?" Now Elsa was really surprised.

Anna looked down at her phone, was that happiness in her eyes? "I received-" She paused, looking for the right words to say. "Sam contacted me today." She smiled gladly. Elsa did not know what to say.

"Oh." She said again.

"I know, isn't that unbelievable? I can't believe it myself. This is really great, you have no idea how much I've waited for this." She was excited.

"Wait a minute. I'm confused. Isn't this the girl who rejected you and hurt you? Now she wants to talk to you and you're letting her back into your life?" Elsa seemed annoyed.

"Elsa it's not the way you think. She explained everything to me. I've been talking to her all day." Anna tried to calm her down but Elsa was clearly infuriated.

"But Anna..." She pleaded.

"Don't worry, it's all going to be fine."

There was nothing Elsa could say to change her mind, like Anna said. She had waited for this for a long time. There was nothing she could do, at least not at the moment. She had to play her cards right to get what she wanted, even if it brought her world down.

"You know what this means, don't you?" She said it quietly.

"Ah... yes. We can't tell my parents anything."

"At least this break's almost over." She faked a smile. "Don't let them know."

Anna was overjoyed; she shared many more stories with Elsa about Samantha. She told her how the girl reached out to her, how she apologized, and how there was hope for them again. Elsa did nothing but listen the whole time. Was this what Anna really wanted?

* * *

**AN: **

You didn't think it'd be that easy, right? The happy ending will come eventually... just not know.

I bet you thought I had abandoned you, huh? Sorry for the super late update guys! June had been/will be a busy month for me, but don't worry the next chapter is half way done. I feel bad though :( Anyway, let me know what you think about this chapter or how you think the story line will develop? Criticism is always welcome!

As always, shoutout and many thanks to Bijnaam (formerly Reflectedd.)


	23. Chapter 23

How did so many things change in the course of a week? Thanksgiving break had been full of surprises. First and perhaps the most surprising, she agreed to pretend to be Anna's girlfriend, she didn't think about it before she agreed on it in front of her parents. Second, she saw Anna in a different light, a mixture of love and desire, but somehow something was holding her back. She was scared, but of what? She didn't know. Third, Samantha pushed herself back into Anna's life and unfortunately Anna was willing to let her in. Fourth, she was jealous. Absolutely jealous. She had had just gotten to a level of comfort with Anna that she didn't have with anyone else.

Ever since they got back to campus, Elsa contemplated on confessing. She didn't know what Anna's reaction would be but, as usual, she couldn't help but over think things. Though, there was one thing she knew for sure: she desperately wanted to be with Anna. No one made her feel as happy as she did. She couldn't resist her. During the various nights she stayed up she would weigh the pros and cons. The pros outweighed the cons significantly, yet she still couldn't make up her mind. She had been in relationships before, but never with a girl. That would be a first.

As she sat in class again, her mind kept running back to Anna. Sure they were closer than ever, but not as close as she'd like them to be. Why did Samantha have to pop into her life out of nowhere? She wondered if that made her a selfish person for wanting Anna to herself, not that she'd do anything about it anyway. She'd just let Anna do what she felt right. She had to stop thinking about that, that much was for sure. Class was only making it worse so she pulled out her phone.

Two messages and quite a lot of emails...

_A text from Hans? Really?_

Hans: _I know I won't see you till tomorrow but I couldn't wait to ask; are you free this weekend?_

Elsa re-read the text several times, shaking her head and dismissing it. What was Hans thinking? A smile spread across her face immediately after as she read the next message, she didn't even see it coming. It was Anna.

Anna: _So my parents just called asking for you..._

_Well this just made my morning,_ she thought.

Elsa: _Maybe we should have exchanged numbers._

Anna: _Are you kidding? They'd check up on you every hour instead of me._

Elsa had to stop herself from giggling in the middle of lecture. She never dreaded class as much as she did just then. She was the type to enjoy herself in any situation that would keep her occupied, but nowadays that only thing that seemed to occupy her mind was Anna.

She put her pen down and typed another quick message.

Elsa: _Are you free later? I'm not in the mood to go back into the dorm after this._

Anna's response took longer than usual; Elsa reminded herself that Anna was also in class, probably struggling with calculus that early in the morning. She found herself smiling again.

_God, what is up with me today?_

Her phone buzzed once again.

Anna: _Elsa... Are you asking me out? :o_

For that, Elsa was thankful the redhead wasn't around. She wouldn't want her to see the immense blush on her face.

Anna: _I'm kidding, by the way! What do you have in mind?_

Elsa felt relieved.

Elsa: _Very funny -_- well, I don't know. I do need to go Christmas shopping._

Anna: _Oh god... You're one of those people, aren't you?_

Elsa had completely stopped paying attention to whatever the professor was rambling about. It was the first day after thanksgiving break, what did he expect?

Elsa: _What do you mean? What kind of people?_

Anna: _People that start getting gifts immediately after thanksgiving. You still have some weeks left, you know?_

Elsa: _Three, maybe four weeks._

Anna: _That's more than enough. I usually get them the day before. Don't be one of them._

Elsa: _Remind me not to get you a present ;)_

Anna: _Fine, fine. I'll go with you._

Elsa: _Great! That doesn't mean I'm getting your present today though, just an FYI._

Anna: _):_

* * *

"You know? I never understood why people buy those family stickers and put them on the back of the car," Anna exclaimed as the sat in traffic. Lines were longer than usual, but that was expected considering a lot of people were coming back from vacation.

"Hey that's true. I always see theM around but now I wonder where people even get them," Elsa replied, thoughtful.

"Or what goes through their mind when they finally decide 'oh let's go get one made and put it in our car'. It just seems really random to me."

"Maybe they have nothing better to do," Elsa laughed.

"You mean besides a family to raise?" Anna responded sarcastically.

"That's actually sort of unsafe."

"You're analyze face is showing. So tell me miss-i-know-it-all, why is it unsafe?"Anna said jokingly.

"Well, have you seen some of these stickers? Look at this one for instance, a mother and two daughters. I'm not saying that they're completely defenseless but it makes them more prone to being a victim of robbery or assault."

"I never really thought about it that way, it makes sense though," she looked at Elsa, who nodded, "so have you thought about what you're going to buy?"

If she had to be completely honest, she had absolutely no clue; she never got gifts for anyone, but now it seemed like she had to. What she really wanted was to just spend time with Anna. She found herself more drawn to her than ever and she couldn't just make that attraction go away.

"I have no idea," she said sincerely, "I'll probably end up getting nothing but it beats going back home, right?"

Anna grabbed the blonde's hand to gain her attention. Elsa looked at the steering wheel and finally at Anna. Maybe it was the week they had just spent together, or the amount of time they had waited in traffic, there was no knowing but the moment her eyes met Anna's, she knew she wanted Anna, she knew she needed her.

Several things ran through her mind, they all came to her in high speed, like an avalanche on a mountain top. So many thoughts she did not know where to start. Sad thoughts, disappointing thoughts, happy thoughts, she wasn't proud of all of them but she didn't care. She liked them, they were beautiful; they all involved Anna. A sudden guilt overtook her. An image of a screaming, crying Anna popped into her head; the memory of the fight they had after Anna had confessed. She felt unworthy, how could she love a person she had hurt? Or rather, how could she hurt the person she loved? That was an impossible question to answer because that was the thing about love, it was one of the most abstract concepts in life and Elsa knew nothing of it. It was so abstract that sometimes she even doubted its existence. Was there even such a thing as love or was it pure attraction?

Love always happened at the wrong time. Anna had loved her at the wrong time, confessed at the wrong time. Was Elsa reciprocating at the wrong time? Did Anna even feel the same way about her anymore? They never really did talk about that subject. Elsa felt it wasn't a memory they would both want to revisit. She had hurt Anna and then she had wanted her to go away, maybe she had even hated her but in the end she ended up loving her. What she felt was more than a sisterly love, more than a friendship, not that they weren't friends. Now that she thought about it, what she felt for Anna was more than that of just friends, she felt it within her and around her, it made her a better person. Anna made her want to be a better person. But she hated herself for it; she hated herself for feeling that way about Anna. She hated it and she loved it at the same time. She was truly underserving of Anna's love after what she had done. Anna was too good for her; she had stayed, even accepted her into her life again. Elsa wouldn't have done something like that, would she? But at the same time, she couldn't stay away from her, she was a magnet.

"Ugh, this traffic," Anna broke the silence, or rather Elsa's thoughts.

"Hm?" Elsa made it clear she wasn't paying attention. Anna leaned in towards her with a grin on her face.

"You know, Elsa? Lately you haven't been paying much attention."

"Tell me about it, I couldn't even pay attention in class today," Elsa blew away the bangs on her forehead.

"Ah, let me guess? Something's getting you distracted?" Anna leaned in closer, causing Elsa to finally turn her head completely to the redhead.

"Yes. Actually, something or rather... someone is," Elsa leaned in now as well, was Anna aware of the effect she had on her? Was she doing this on purpose? She couldn't be, could she?

"Mind telling me about it?" Elsa could have sworn Anna was flirting now, why was she so close? So close she could literally feel the girl's breath on her skin, close enough that if she stared long enough she could count each and every one of her freckles. She decided she had to go for it; she couldn't deprive herself of Anna's lips. She leaned in closer, slowly. She knew Anna noticed the change in tempo, the attraction, her face had gone from a smirk to a straight face. Anna's breathing had also changed, was she expecting the kiss? The kiss that would have happened if the car behind them hadn't honked, forcing Elsa to step on the gas. She was really losing her mind.

The rest of the ride was awkward, but once at the mall, being surrounded by people made it quite nice. For the first time in forever, Elsa enjoyed the chatter of people, the loud noises of machines, music and the crying of chaotic children, it beat the need of having to talk to Anna, even if she wanted to. They both new they'd both needed to discuss what had almost happened, but each one of them also knew themselves too much to admit that they would just try to forget about the subject and not speak of it again.

* * *

"If you don't know what you want to buy we can just go store by store until you find something," Anna smiled. Her excitement had her skipping alongside Elsa, she was just like a child.

"That would just end up giving me a headache. I think we should go into some stores, if I can't find anything I'll just go home, think about it and come back another day. By the way, have you eaten?" She eyed Anna carefully. The girl shook her head, "good, we can eat first."

They walked to the food court, pushed together by the amount of people walking around. It was unusual to see a packed mall on a weekday.

"What are you in the mood for?" Anna asked as the eyed the name of each restaurant.

"Anything really," was all Elsa said, when in reality she wanted to say _you._

"TGI Friday's?" She lifted an eyebrow to the blonde.

Elsa smiled and walked forward. "Let's do it, I'm starving," Anna followed behind, skipping faster than usual as Elsa had gotten quite the lead on her, grabbing her hand to help keep pace.

"Gosh you walk fast," Elsa had barely heard that, her head was instead trying to process the fact that Anna was holding her hand. She didn't mind, she just found it surprising but she couldn't deny the other girl the pleasure of holding her hand. Elsa lifted both their hands, examining the exchange.

"What's this for?" Her face was full of curiosity and nervousness. She wouldn't have asked, but she really needed an explanation.

"Sorry... Didn't think you'd mind..." Elsa intertwined her fingers with Anna's hand again, holding tighter. That was a sufficient response for Anna, who had another one of her victory smiles on her face as they made their way into the restaurant.

"I can't believe you ordered a salad," Anna pouted as Elsa carefully placed her fork and knife on the opposite side of her drink. Elsa lifted her eyes to look at her.

"I can't either but your parents did feed me a lot this past week," she broke out a laugh.

"Oh please, is that why you've been running more than usual?" Anna took a bite of one of her fries, not before dipping it in ketchup.

"That and because I feel like I haven't done it in a while."

"That's true. You refused to come running with me after I insisted," Anna challenged.

"Well look at you. You're a changed woman. Not long ago you dreaded waking up for breakfast and now..." Elsa started eating.

"Give yourself a pat on then back, you've accomplished the impossible," Anna gave her a thumbs up.

"I like to think you've changed me as well," she stopped, placed her fork on the table, expecting Anna's response.

The redhead's reply was playful, after giving it some thought, "I've noticed... You've become meaner." She stuck out her tongue.

Elsa couldn't help but laugh, "Did you just insult yourself?" The look of confusion on Anna's face made her laugh even more.

"Pfft, fine. You've become nicer!" She smirked.

"That I have," Elsa commented, "hey so, listen. Thanks for coming with today. You probably had other things to do but I appreciate it, even though I'm probably not going to buy anything by the looks of it."

Anna extended her palm and waved it, "Oh, no, no. Don't worry about it I'm actually glad you asked. I need to talk to you about something, or rather ask for advice."

Elsa's face was filled with excitement, yet at the same time with anticipation. She raised both eyebrows; Anna could have sworn the blonde's eyes had become wider, "Sure, what is it?"

There was a silence. Did Anna suddenly forget that she was about to ask for something? Her mouth opened several times, as if she wanted to say so much but every time she tried, she couldn't, "Well... As you know, I've been talking to Sam..."

Elsa pouted after a few seconds passed, "Of course," She was cold, colder than she had been when they first met and Anna knew it.

"Okay," she made a pause, maybe talking about this was a bad idea but Elsa was smart and calculating, who better to give advice? "I know you're probably going to disagree with me completely because let's face it, you're very logical and I'm usually not. And I probably shouldn't be talking to her but I can't stop myself, I've tried. It's like one of those things that you really like and you crave and no matter how many times you tell yourself you can't have it, you end up giving in eventually. That tends to happen to me with chocolates, well, sweets in general-"

"Anna..." Elsa stared at her.

"Oh, sorry! I digress. Anyway," Anna did not know whether she was actually describing what she felt for Samantha or what she felt for Elsa. She obviously wanted Elsa, there was no denying that but she had already tried her luck with her before and that didn't go too well, there was no way she'd do it again. Her hope was that Samantha could make her happy, as selfish as that sounded; maybe Elsa was right, love is a selfish thing. "She was scared, she wanted us to continue being together but she was also afraid of what her parents would do..." She lowered her head shyly, afraid of what Elsa's response might be. "She didn't know what decision to make, which is totally understandable."

"Look, Anna. Sure that's a good excuse, even if it's valid. But," she paused to stare more intently. "Can I be blunt?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Whatever excuse or reason she gave you doesn't justify that she treated you like shit when you went to visit her; the night I had to pick you up, not that I mind or anything."

Anna blew away her bangs, "but you don't know her parents, Els. They can sure be a pain in the ass."

"I'm sure they can, but try to see this situation from another perspective. How do you think I feel about Samantha?"

Anna though about it a while and then, out of nowhere, a smile spread across her face. "Ah, that's it!" Everyone sitting nearby turned their attention to the redhead.

"What's it?" Elsa asked, confused.

"You need to meet her, and spend time with her... And me obviously. I'm sure you'll change your opinion about her." Her grin became wider.

"Anna, no. I don't think that-" Elsa extended both her hands, refusing the invitation.

"There's no way you're getting out of this one Elsa. Do it for me, you should know how much your opinion means to me."

_Is she pouting on purpose?_

Elsa looked away, her eyes diverted to the right then the left, until she finally met Anna's.

"Ugh, fuck it. Fine."

"Yes! Yes!" Anna practically jumped out of her seat.

"But I must warn you... I'm good at reading people and if I don't like her and she has bad intentions, I'll be the one pushing her away... I swear, Anna." Elsa couldn't be any more serious.

"Fine, fine. You'll love her, you just wait."

_More than you? Impossible._

* * *

**AN:** What? An update on time? Hahaha, here you go guys. I received a lot of reviews on the last chapter, thanks so much! I can see you're enjoying this and I try to respond to all of you guys! (Also, noticed a lot of anger towards some of the characters, I guess I'm doing a good job writing them hehe.)

I decided to add a little more drama, I'm not ready to finish this story quite yet...

Let me know what you think!

Beta: Bijnaam


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